Protest at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, in solidarity with JNU. (Express photo: Partha Paul)
JNU violence Live Updates: Police on Monday baton-charged the Left and the BJP supporters as they engaged in a face off in the Kolkata’s Jadavpur area during rallies over the violence on Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, officials said. Day after masked men went on a rampage inside the varsity injuring 34 students and teachers, protests erupted across the country in solidarity with the injured students of the premier institution.
The Delhi Police said the Crime Branch has found some vital clues in the case, and a fact-finding panel has been formed to expedite the probe. Addressing a press conference on Monday evening, Delhi Police PRO M S Randhawa stated that the campus’ internal security rests with the JNU administration, and refuted charges of delayed action by the cops saying, “We have responded to PCR calls, and law and order situation professionally.” Meanwhile, a plea has been filed in Supreme Court seeking contempt action against the Centre and Delhi Police for allegedly not following its direction to check mob violence at JNU on January 5.
Follow LIVE updates on JNU violence
Earlier JNU students’ union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh, who was injured in Sunday’s attack, claimed that some RSS-affiliated professors were promoting violence to break their movement on Sunday night. Alleging a nexus between the JNU security and the perpetrators, she said the police did not even intervene to stop the violence inflicted upon the students on campus.
Masked men wielding sticks, rods and sledgehammers terrorised Jawaharlal Nehru University for close to three hours on Sunday evening, entering hostels, attacking students and teachers and leaving 26 injured.
Highlights
Anurag Kashyap, who participated in the protest at Carter Road, told indianexpress.com, “I condemn the way police are controlled. The common man has been intimidated so much that now he is not afraid. We stand by the students, and they are our inspiration. I don’t want to give them any message. The students’ message has woken us up. I ran away from Twitter and was busy in my work. I was like, ‘Why should I bother? I am earning money and doing work.’ Students have shown me the way. They have woken me up. I returned because of them. I stand with them. I stand behind them. I am learning from them.” Click here to read more.
A protest in solidarity was also organized by students and academics of the University of Oxford against the attack on students at JNU.
Nearly 150 IIT-Bombay teachers sign statement condemning JNU violence
As a group of masked people unleashed mayhem and violence at Jawaharlal Nehru University for three hours on Sunday evening, attacking students and teachers with sticks, iron rods and sledgehammers, tensions had been brewing in the campus since Saturday over the issue of registration for the new semester. So, what actually triggered the latest violence at JNU? Read here...
Scenes of protests in Lucknow against assault on JNU students during Sunday rampage.
Bollywood actors and directors including Dia Mirza, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagdi, Rahul Bose and stand-up comedian Kumal Kamra join protests in Mumbai against violence on JNU campus. (Express Photo: Laxman Singh)
Bollywood movie directors Anurag Kashyap and Anubhav Sinha join protests against JNU violence in Mumbai.
Police baton-charged supporters of the Left and the BJP as the two sides engaged in a face off in the city's Jadavpur area on Monday during rallies over the violence that rocked the JNU campus in Delhi, officials said. Students of the Jadavpur University, activists of the SFI and members of other Left outfits took out a rally protesting against the violence at JNU campus. A march was also taken out by the BJP on the issue and both the sides came face to face at Sulekha More, leading to a brawl. Police put up barricades and blocked both the rallies, however, allegedly abuses were hurled and slogans and counter-slogans raised by the two sides. (PTI)
Actor Gauhar Khan joins protest at Mumbai's Gateway of India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Monday said there was no ‘tukde tukde’ gang when he was studying in the Jawahar Lal Nehru University. “I can certainly tell you when I studied in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), we didn’t see any ‘tukde tukde’ gang there,” S Jaishankar was quoted as saying during an event in Delhi by ANI. His statement comes a day after at least 35 students and teachers were injured by masked men wielding sticks, rods and sledgehammers at the campus on Sunday evening, leading to massive outrage and protests across the country. JNU Student Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh was also injured in the attack. Read more...
A plea has been filed in Supreme Court seeking contempt action against the Centre and Delhi Police for allegedly not following its direction to curb and handle mob violence at premier Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on January 5.
The plea, filed by Tehseen Poonawala, said the apex court had on July 17, 2018, laid down "preventive and remedial guidelines for the Government and Police authorities to curb and handle mob violence, and came to a conclusion that no individual in his/her own capacity or as a part of a group, which within no time assumes the character of a mob, can take law into his/her/their own hands and deal with others as guilty". (PTI)
Former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha said the attack on JNU students and teachers on Sunday had left no difference in “government goons and government police”, accusing police of “helping” the anti-social elements and not the innocent. Read more...
Citizens from all walks of life and trade unions held a protest rally and procession at the bus stand in Ludhiana on Monday against the violence in JNU. "Our heart bleeds for all those youngsters who were non-violent and were still beaten mercilessly by the goons with sticks and stones. The most frustrating part was that the saga continued unabashed in this era of instant communication, and the police did not intervene," said CPI's Arun Mitra.
The HRD Ministry met officials from the JNU administration on Monday and took stock of the situation on the campus following Sunday's violence, even as Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar skipped the meeting. The meeting at the HRD Ministry which went on for over two hours was attended by the JNU registrar, proctor and other admin officials who briefed the ministry officials on the sequence of events that unfolded on the campus and the measures taken to restore normalcy.
"HRD Secretary Amit Khare held a meeting with a team of JNU authorities, including Pro-VC Chintamani Mahapatra, Registrar Promod Kumar, Rector Rana Pratap Singh and Proctor Dhananjay Singh, today. The secretary held a detailed discussion with them and was also briefed about the current situation in JNU," a senior HRD Ministry official said. (PTI)
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has appointed a fact-finding committee to probe into Sunday's violence on JNU campus.
Delhi Police PRO, MS Randhawa addressed the press on JNU Violence and said, "A committee has been formed under the Joint Commissioner of Police, for factfinding and to avoid any delay in investigation and inquiry. We have found some vital clues and we are trying that the case is solved soon."
Malayalam actor and producer Nivin Pauly termed the JNU violence "brutality at its worst". "What happened in #JNU last night was horrifying and frightening. This is brutality at its worst! Those attackers behind this violence against students and teachers must be punished. It’s time we stand united against hate and violence," he wrote in a Facebook post.
Thousands reach Gateway of India in Mumbai to protest against the assault on JNU students.
Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt said it is time to "strongly oppose any ideology that seeks to divide, oppress and promote violence". "When students, teachers and peaceful civilians become victims of physical assault on an ongoing basis, it's time to stop pretending that all is fine. "We must look truth in the eye and acknowledge that we are a house at war with itself. We, the people, of this country no matter how diff our ideologies, must find a human solution to all of our complex problems, and reinforce the peaceful and inclusive ideals upon which this country was built," Alia posted on Instagram stories.