10 Bhopal varsity students held for ‘causing violence’
They were protesting against ‘caste bias’
15/12/2019, SIDHARTH YADAV,BHOPAL
The police late on Friday arrested 10 students and removed several others from the premises of the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication here while they were staging a sit-in demanding the suspension of two adjunct professors, including Dilip Mandal, for alleged caste bias in classrooms, on Twitter and public fora. They were released on Saturday.
“A case has been registered against 10 students and unidentified persons for causing violence on the campus and preventing the staff from carrying out their duties,” said the police.
Stating the protest was instigated by right-wing groups attempting to stall efforts at “desaffronising” the campus, Deepak Tiwari, the Vice-Chancellor, told The Hindu, “The university stands for freedom of expression and academics. It functions on the principles of the Constitution and no other ideology. There will be no tolerance against violence.” He added that the students had broken a gate outside his office.
The students said the protest was independent and not supported by any outside group. “We didn’t cause any violence and whoever came to us from outside, we refused their support. This is not just a protest by general category students, there are those from backward communities too,” said a first year student of media management, requesting anonymity.
“Mr. Mandal questioned students for wearing religious threads on their wrists and tilak on foreheads. Before speaking to anyone, he asked their surname first, attempting to divide students on caste lines. He is spreading viciousness against Brahmins on Twitter, ” said a student of electronic media.
They were protesting against ‘caste bias’
15/12/2019, SIDHARTH YADAV,BHOPAL
The police late on Friday arrested 10 students and removed several others from the premises of the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication here while they were staging a sit-in demanding the suspension of two adjunct professors, including Dilip Mandal, for alleged caste bias in classrooms, on Twitter and public fora. They were released on Saturday.
“A case has been registered against 10 students and unidentified persons for causing violence on the campus and preventing the staff from carrying out their duties,” said the police.
Stating the protest was instigated by right-wing groups attempting to stall efforts at “desaffronising” the campus, Deepak Tiwari, the Vice-Chancellor, told The Hindu, “The university stands for freedom of expression and academics. It functions on the principles of the Constitution and no other ideology. There will be no tolerance against violence.” He added that the students had broken a gate outside his office.
The students said the protest was independent and not supported by any outside group. “We didn’t cause any violence and whoever came to us from outside, we refused their support. This is not just a protest by general category students, there are those from backward communities too,” said a first year student of media management, requesting anonymity.
“Mr. Mandal questioned students for wearing religious threads on their wrists and tilak on foreheads. Before speaking to anyone, he asked their surname first, attempting to divide students on caste lines. He is spreading viciousness against Brahmins on Twitter, ” said a student of electronic media.
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