Hundreds protest at Gateway of India, Mumbai over violence at JNU campus in New Delhi

Mumbai:

Hundreds of students from various students organisations, NGOs and prominent personalities on Monday staged a sit-in protest at the iconic Gateway of India, to condemn the hooliganism in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in New Delhi late on Sunday night. Students carrying Indian Tricolour, banners and posters expressed solidarity with the JNU students and professors, and condemned the violence indulged in by masked attackers.

Joining the protest, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Minister Housing Dr. Jitendra Awhad slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre and said attempts are being made to “destroy democracy in India”. “The JNU violence is (Amit) Shah-sponsored terrorism. The country condemns this barbaric act. Its nice to see that #Modi #Shah are scared of only one thing, that’s the intellect in JNU,” Awhad said.

Similar, protests were held near the IIT Bombay campus in Powai, at the FTII Campus in Pune, with the student raising slogans demanding action against those indulging in the atrocities against the students and professors in JNU.

Several political leaders from the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have slammed the violence against the JNU students-teachers and demanded stringent action against the perpetrators, here today.

Terming it as “a planned attack”, NCP President Sharad Pawar said the students and professors were subjected to a cowardly attack. “I strongly condemn this undemocratic act of vandalism and violence. Use of violent means to suppress democratic values and thought will never succeed,” Pawar said.

State Congress and Revenue Minister President Balasaheb Thorat strongly flayed the “brutal violence unleashed by the goons of ABVP” inside the JNU. “This is sheer hooliganism, they are ransacking property and harming people. I demand that the attackers should be brought to book immediately,” Thorat said.

Shiv Sena leader and Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray said that the violence and brutality faced by students while protesting is worrisome. “Be it Jamia, JNU, students must not face brutal force. Let them be! These goons must face action. They must be brought to time-bound and swift justice,” Aditya Thackeray demanded.

Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik strongly condemned the JNU violence and demanded strict action against the culprits. “Hostels are being attacked. Students and staff are being beaten up. Police is not acting upon to protect them. BJP’s politics is playing with the future of the country,” Malik said.

Today’s protest was a continuation of the demonstrations which started at midnight at the Gateway of India in Mumbai and Pune. Later, more protests are planned in different parts of the state this afternoon, including at the University of Mumbai, Pune University and Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya in Wardha.       (IANS)