Violence in Jamia: Priyanka Gandhi leads protest at India Gate
What's the story
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached India Gate in New Delhi to show solidarity towards students of Jamia Millia Islamia, where cops unleashed horror yesterday. Starting at 4pm, she held a two-hour symbolic protest. Earlier, she had called the BJP-led Centre "coward" for attacking students. Meanwhile, her party members have called for a judicial inquiry into the violence. Here's what went down.
Beginning
What happened at Jamia exactly?
Yesterday, students of Jamia took out a protest march against the Citizenship Amended Act, which will make it easier for persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, to get Indian citizenship. After vehicles were torched, police launched a crackdown at the varsity, beat up students, and detained 50 of them. The assault was condemned by Jamia's V-C Nagma Akhtar; she said she stands by students.
Reaction
After violence, Priyanka advised BJP to listen to people
What happened on Sunday provoked angry reactions from students across India. Opposition leaders too slammed BJP, more so because Delhi Police comes under Centre's jurisdiction. In her first comment after the violence, Priyanka said BJP should be listening to people and not launching a crackdown on students and journalists in Northeast, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. "This is a coward government," she tweeted.
Twitter Post
This government is scared of people's voices
जनता की आवाज़ से डरती है। इस देश के नौजवानों, उनके साहस और उनकी हिम्मत को अपनी खोखली तानाशाही से दबाना चाहती है। यह भारतीय युवा हैं, सुन लीजिए मोदी जी, यह दबेगा नहीं, इसकी आवाज़ आपको आज नहीं तो कल सुननी ही पड़ेगी।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 15, 2019
Protest
Holding a placard, Priyanka sat at India Gate
Taking the battle from social media to streets, Priyanka sat at India Gate. She was accompanied by nearly 300 leaders and workers. She also held a poster reading "Yuva chhatron pe hamla band karo". "The government has attacked the Constitution and the students. They attacked students after entering university. We will fight for the Constitution. We will fight against this government," she told reporters.
Twitter Post
Here are the visuals from the spot
Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, AK Antony, PL Punia, Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni other Congress leaders continue to sit on a symbolic protest near India Gate over police action during students' protests in Jamia Millia Islamia Aligarh Muslim University(Uttar Pradesh) pic.twitter.com/s0v9NWzvns
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2019
Next step
Notably, Congress could meet President Kovind tomorrow
Further, Opposition leaders demanded a judicial inquiry. Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad asked how did cops enter the university when the administration didn't give permission. "How could police enter the library and toilets in Jamia as students were screaming for help," he asked and refuted BJP's claims that Congress is fanning the violence. The party could also meet President Ram Nath Kovind tomorrow.
Bengal
Separately in Bengal, CM Mamata took out a rally
To note, Priyanka isn't the only politician who came out on streets to protest against the Centre. Trinamool matriarch and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a mega rally in Kolkata. Leading the march, where hundreds of Trinamool workers participated, Banerjee said she will never allow the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Act to be implemented in Bengal.
Quote
India is everyone's, reminded Mamata
"Only BJP will remain here and everyone else will be made to leave — it's their politics. It'll never happen. India is everyone's. Agar sabka sath nahi rahega toh sabka vikas kaise hoga? Who is the Citizenship Act for? We're all citizens," she said.
Defense
In line of fire, BJP blamed Opposition for misleading people
Since BJP is being attacked from all quarters, the saffron party started a blame game. The party leader Sambit Patra said, "We condemn the attempt of the Opposition to mislead people in the name of the Citizenship Bill. We condemn their attempt to divide the country into Hindus and Muslims." Separately, PM Modi also urged people to maintain peace and not believe rumors.
MHA
Separately, MHA issued advisory to states and Union Territories
As protests dotted the entire nation, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories. "In view of incidences of violence and damage to public property being reported from some parts of the country, it's imperative all required measures be taken to contain violence, ensure the protection of life & safety of citizens," the advisory read as per ANI.