SHILLONG: Protests against the Sunday night attack on students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) reverberated in the city on Wednesday as several groups extended their support to the victims and demanded freedom of speech and expression.
Among those who staged separate protests were alumni of the JNU, NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and Research Scholars’ Forum, NEHU besides others.
The former JNU students and some others staged a protest in Madan Iewrynghep, Laitumkhrah.
An alumnus, Moses Kharbithai, told reporters, “It is believed that members of the ABVP, the student wing of the BJP, attacked the students.”
Pointing out that students were agitating against the fee hike in the JNU, he said that the university accepts students from all backgrounds especially from weaker sections.
“The administration did not negotiate but encouraged goons to attack the students and teachers. We demand that those involved in the attack be immediately arrested and also ask the JNU administration to roll back the fees”, he said.
Member of Thma U Rangli Juki, Tarun Bhartiya, said the students were demanding that education should be subsidised although the attack has to be seen in the larger context.
“Look at CAA which will transform India into a Hindu nation. They (the Centre) are trying to muzzle protests”, he said.
He expressed shock that an FIR has been lodged against the JNUSU president, Aishe Ghosh, who was also attacked.
“The ABVP members themselves said that they had gone there. It was not a clash but an attack. These Hindu voices do not want any secular voices to speak up in this country but they will not win this battle”, he said.
Asked if the attack was pre-meditated, he replied in the affirmative. “It was a pre-meditated attack. I studied in Delhi University when the Babri Masjid was demolished… the RSS people would bring goondas from Delhi”, he recalled.
NEHUSU protest
Members of NEHUSU along with Research Scholars’ Forum, NEHU organised a protest at NEHU campus to condemn the violence at JNU with speakers focusing on right of free speech.
NEHUSU president Yshua Lyngdoh said the JNU incident was a dastardly act and the student community in NEHU will stand together against it. “It was an act of cowardice and reflected a goondaism mindset”, he said.
Speaking in support of the JNUSU president, he said, “We want our voices to be heard and we reach out to the JNU students and teachers who were attacked. We don’t want our voices to be silenced. NEHU is against miscreants especially inside academic spaces which are for free thinking.”
JNU alumnus Emdorini Thangkhiew, who was also present at the protest, said that the miscreants are hiding behind anonymity thinking that they will not be discovered.
She said that university is a space where different shades of opinion should be allowed adding that voices of dissent are viewed as anti-national.
NEHUSU general secretary, Teilang Rymbai, condemned the lapse of security in JNU and questioned whether similar incidents would get replicated in other universities allowing goons to create trouble in the seats of learning.
President of Research Scholars’ Forum, NEHU, Kyle Suting, said a campus should be a free and safe space and miscreants should not bring violence or hate inside.
“We respect dissenting voices. Let us save democracy”, he said.
Speaking of the security aspect in NEHU, Lyngdoh said the campus has barbed wire fencing and the check gates are also strict. “Security checking is strong and the guards are also well trained”, he said.
