Viral video: Jamia students, alumni clean roads outside campus after protest, earn praise online

In the video, the group of men are seen picking papers, sweeping the litter and putting them in big plastic bags for disposal in spite of the chilly weather. Shiraz Sheikh Babu was one of the volunteers and is an alumnus of JMI, presently working as a research associate. Babu told indianexpress.com that after the protests came to an end they noticed the litter and decided to clean it.

“It was around 10 pm when the protest ended, and we thought we should clean it ourselves. With the ongoing protests, there was a lot of trash lying outside the campus’s main gate. So, around 10 or 12 of us, present students—both undergraduates and M.A level—and members of the alumni picked up everything to clean the area,” he said in a telephonic interview.

“There was a sense of fear and anger among students and everyone in the campus, but we did what needed to be done to keep the surroundings clean,” he said.

The photos and videos of the cleanliness drive got a lot of attention online and plenty of people praised them for their actions.

Proud. https://t.co/3POmLxkIy7

— Vivek (@ivivek_nambiar) December 17, 2019

This is Jamia, this is what Jamia has engrained in us, we follow the path of nonviolence, we follow the path of not letting other littering around us and if anyone does it we clean their mess as well. Jamia students and one of my senior PhD fellow cleaning road and pavements. pic.twitter.com/wLhGs2JQK7

— Javed Alam (@Javedal18035482) December 16, 2019

The students of jamia who faced brutality last night, protested peacefully again in the morning and cleaning the mess at night, this is who we are, you can not break us, this what we learn from education and implementation of swach bharat on grounds, @shiraz_babu #JamiaProtest pic.twitter.com/NxwafdBvUT

— owaiskhan (@owaiskhan09) December 16, 2019

#JamiaMilliaUniversity Students of Jamia Millia University are cleaning the roads near the campus after the protest! This speaks volumes of their character.

There is a reason why every major varsity is standing in solidarity with Jamia & #AligarhMuslimUniversity. This is one! pic.twitter.com/1DJn2x3sNs

— #HindusAgainstCAB Desi Bhai Einstein 🇮🇳 (@DesiPoliticks) December 16, 2019

What a gesture! 🖖 #Respect https://t.co/us5GJ5nj5r

— 𝕄𝕦𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕕 𝔸𝕒𝕤𝕚𝕞 ℚ𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕣 (@qmaasim) December 17, 2019

This is such a thoughtful gesture#JamiaMilliaIslamia students cleaning the road in front of the University after yesterday burtuality

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Moments like these make this University what it is. Trolls can say whatever @tamashbeen_

More power Hatsoff for #jamia students😍 @asadowaisi pic.twitter.com/GY1XT4JF2Y

— §umaiya khan❤ (@pathan_sumaya) December 16, 2019

Because it’s our India and it’s our University.
It’s our home .@jamiamillia_ @ArvindKejriwal #UnitedWeStand https://t.co/Xi1ptZupqQ pic.twitter.com/5zbvexh5Vq

— siddiqui zarma (@SiddiquiZarma) December 16, 2019

Responsible people 👍

— Durga prasad Reddy (@durgapp1) December 16, 2019

Socially responsible & civically aware.

— Sun Sherman (@SunSherman) December 16, 2019

This is why i love the student body of India. Dil aur jigar dono chahiye #CABProtests #DelhiBurning https://t.co/6UQrgdT21G

— Varna|ورنہ|বর্ণ|வர்ண (@Varna) December 16, 2019

On Tuesday, the Delhi Police said it had arrested 10 people in connection with the violence on Sunday evening. A police spokesperson said most of the accused have a criminal background and none of them are students.

Hearing allegations of police excesses on students protesting against the new citizenship law at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, the Supreme Court said high courts should be approached first. (Here are the latest developments)

The Congress, the Left, SP and RJD came together on Monday to condemn Delhi Police’s actions on Sunday. “The way police forced their way into the university, assaulted students even in libraries and toilets… the police entered the university without permission of the authorities… And they did not even leave girl students… this is barbaric… there should be a judicial inquiry,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

The ripple effect of police action inside Jamia Millia Islamia was also felt across Delhi, with protests, both spontaneous and organised, erupting across campuses and public places.