Citizenship Law protests, Maharashtra: ‘We condemn the acts of violence by police. Why is the govt afraid of students?’

The students who took part in the protest were affiliated to outfits such as Chhatra Bharati, Maharashtra Students Law Association, Maharashtra Students’ Union, Students’ Federation of India, All India Students’ Federation, National Students’ Union of India, All India Professionals Congress and Samata Kala Manch, among others.

Earlier in the day, students of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) boycotted classes and took to the streets. The students assembled at Ambedkar Garden in Chembur. At TISS and IIT-Bombay, students took out marches late on Sunday night.

“CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and NRC defy secularism and have been brought in to break the country. It’s a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh agenda against the Constitution. We condemn the acts of violence by police. Why is the government afraid of students?” said Sachin Bansode, a supporter of Chhatra Bharti.

Protesters accused the Delhi Police of perpetrating unprovoked violence against students who were agitating inside the Jamia campus. They called for an independent judicial probe into the incident.

Members of the ABVP did not take part in the demonstrations. ABVP Mumbai secretary Sarjerao Dholtade said, “ABVP did not participate because we support the CAA and hope for its successful implementation. Regarding the students of AMU and Jamia, all the videos and other evidence are out in the public domain. The law enforcement authorities are also subject to the judiciary and we have faith in the judiciary.”

Students of Savitribai Phule Pune University, too, protested on the issue.

With portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B R Ambedkar, protesters raised slogans like “Jai Bhim!”, “Daman nahi, aman chalega” and “Hum ek hain”.

Several organisations, including the NSUI and SFI and Republican Bahujan Vidyarthi Parishad took part in the protest.

“What happened in Jamia was wrong. The government is not giving any funds for education, but it is taking such violent actions every other day,” said Suraj Sambhaji Gajaramal, president of RBVP.