New Delhi, Feb 7 (PTI) Students protesting outside the office of Delhi University’s Vice-Chancellor for the resumption of offline classes on Monday alleged they were detained and manhandled by the Delhi Police.
The police, however, dismissed their claims, saying the protesters were removed from the premises and were immediately released.
The students were protesting outside the office of Delhi University’s vice-chancellor demanding immediate reopening of the campus, days after the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) gave its nod to the resumption of offline teaching in the national capital.
The students started an indefinite sit-in protest after they did not receive any positive response from the administration. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), which had organised the demonstration, claimed its activists who were leading the protests were “brutally assaulted” by the guards at Vice Chancellor’s office.
The student outfit alleged that male officers of Delhi Police manhandled their three women activists.
Some activists who were trying to bring in blankets to spend the cold night were assaulted by the guards, alleged the SFI.
“We were trying to bring in blankets to spend the cold night here but we have been manhandled by male officers brutally,” said a woman activist.
Denying these claims, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi, in a statement, said that on the request of DU authorities, some protestors were removed from outside the VC Office and were immediately released when the premises was found vacated.
“”The university administration, in writing, asked for police assistance in getting the premises vacated of the unruly protestors. Adequate number of women police personnel were present to handle the female protesters,” read the statement, adding that no detention took place.
Earlier in the day, scores of students held a protest outside the office of Delhi University”s vice-chancellor.
The students hung an “Out of Service” placard on the gate of the VC office.
The SFI said over 400 students took part in the “gherao”. The protests were also joined by other student organisations like the Left-affiliated All India Students” Association (AISA).
Over 53 departments across the university observed a complete boycott of online classes, claimed the SFI.
At the protest, students broke down the barricades set up by the Delhi Police and many protesters barged into the gates of the VC Office, the AISA said in a statement.
DU Proctor met the students and assured them that notice for reopening will come up in the evening, but later turned down her promise and said it will take a week, the AISA added.
The students organisations have vowed to continue the protests until their demands are met.
The AISA has also called upon the students of DU to boycott all classes on Tuesday and join ”Chhatra Marg Chakka Jaam” on Tuesday at Arts Faculty.
Meanwhile, RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has also announced that it would also hold a one-day protest sit-in at South Campus on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, students will register their protest by staging a day-long protest outside the Academic Council meeting venue at North Campus, the ABVP said.
The SFI has announced the commencement of “Sadak pe Kaksha”, — “Classroom on the street” from February 9 until the university reopens.
“Classrooms on the street is a message to the administration that both teachers and students want to begin offline classes. If they have any respect left for us, they should open the classrooms immediately,” said Abhishek, Co-convenor of SFI DU.
The DDMA has decided to reopen higher educational institutions and coaching centres, along with schools for classes 9-12, from Monday.
Asked about the reopening of the DU colleges, vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh had said they would give a few days” time to the students to return to the campus.
“If the DDMA allows 100 per cent seating capacity, we will definitely reopen the campus. But we will give a few days” time to our students, say 10 days, for returning to the campus since most of the students are from other states. We will formulate our own strategy,” he had said. PTI VA AMP SLB CK
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Source: The Print
