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Delhi Protest News: The protest march had started from the university this evening.
Highlights
- Protest planned by Jamia Millia Islamia students ends in pitched battle
- The Jamia students distance themselves from the violence
- Jamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar appeals to students to keep peace
New Delhi:
Delhi witnessed violence this evening over the new citizenship law as a protest march by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia ended in a pitched battle with the police. The mob threw stones at the police, who retaliated with batons and tear gas. By the end of it, three buses and several two wheelers were set ablaze, a fire tender was vandalized and two firemen were injured. The Jamia students distanced themselves from the violence and some officers of the Delhi police privately admitted that local thugs were responsible for it. Later, as the police detained a number of students, the university said they had entered the campus without permission and assaulted the staff and students. The police said they were doing the needful to stop the protests. Schools in the affected area will be closed tomorrow.
Here is your ten-point cheat sheet on this big story:
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The protest march had started from the university this evening and was expected to end at Jantar Mantar, the designated area for protests in the national capital. But the violence started soon after. In full view of television cameras, the mob clashed with the police and arson was committed.
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In a statement released shortly after the violence, the students said, “We have time and again maintained our protests are peaceful and non-violent. We stand by this approach and condemn any party involved in violence”. The violence “by certain elements” was an attempt to vilify and discredit genuine protests, they said.
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While the violence was on, Jamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar appealed to the students to keep the peace and return to the campus. “Everything will be all right but we can’t protect students if they leave the campus,” she told NDTV.
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Later in the evening, the police were seen escorting a number of students to the local police station. Hands held above their head, they were seen walking along the footpath, hurried along by several policemen.
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“The police have entered the campus by force, no permission was given. Our staff and students are being beaten up and forced to leave the campus,” said Waseem Ahmed Khan, Chief Proctor of the university.
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“We only acted to control situation after violence,” news agency ANI quoted senior police officer Chinmaya Biswal as saying. “Our only interest is to push the mob back, so law and order can be restored in the area. We have no problem with university (Jamia Millia Islamia University) students,” he added.
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Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted in Hindi: “In Delhi’s south east district areas including Jamia, Okhla, New Friends Colony and Madanpur Khadar, all government and private schools will remain closed tomorrow. Delhi government has taken the decision in view of the current situation.”
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Metro operation on the city’s Magenta Line – where the university is located – was affected, with the entry and exit gates of five stations being shut. Sukhdev Vihar Station, Jamia Millia Islamia, Okhla Vihar and Jasola Vihar Shaheen Bagh, as well as Gate No.3 of the Ashram Station, were shut early on. Road traffic was also diverted from the area.
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In a tweet, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has condemned the violence. “Spoke to Hon’ble LG and urged him to take all steps to restore normalcy and peace. We are also doing everything possible at our end. Real miscreants who caused violence shud be identified and punished,” a second tweet read.
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Violence had scarred parts of the country since the citizenship law – meant to facilitate grant of citizenship to religious minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh living in India – was passed. Much of the violence had taken place in the northeastern states, Bengal and Delhi. Earlier today, at an election rally in Jharkhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Assam for “staying away from violence”.
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