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Delhi University: ABVP demands ban on leftist organisations

WION
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaWritten By: Devanshi VermaUpdated: Mar 02, 2017, 08:17 PM IST
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Delhi University's student union #ABVP undertook a march today calling for a ban on "anti-nationals" even as students from around the campus continue their protest against the student body Photograph:(WION)

Right wing student's group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) took out a protest march in Delhi University's north campus today, calling for a ban on "anti-nationals", even as students from around the campus continue their protest against the student body for its violent attacks. The agenda clearly was much beyond Delhi University or academics in its scope and the speakers at the march chose to direct their firepower at the Left wing groups. 

The protesters chanted 'Bharat Mata ki jai' and carried placards with photographs of the alleged killing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers in the southern state of Kerala. 

"We are finally witnessing the real face of the Left-wing. These Leftists rape our women in the name of Freedom of Expression in campuses. Take for example, Anmol Ratan (JNU student leader), who raped our women and justifies anti-national activities. We are taught to respect and ensure the safety of women in our society as per the moral values taught to us. But today the way some of our Leftist professors have reacted to the situation, you would wonder as to what influence it might have on our youth? I ask all our citizens and the students in our institution to stand up against these traitors and the ABVP is with you," said a speaker addressing the assembly of about 2,000 in the Arts Faculty quadrangle. 

ABVP, a students' group aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that is in power in the national government, had carried out a 'Tiranga' march (Tricolour march) on Monday apparently to invoke "nationalist sentiment" amongst students in the campus. No violence was reported in the absence of any active opposition by the Left wing students' groups like AISA (All-India Students' Federation) and SFI (Students' Federation of India).

Watch Exclusive Video: ABVP rally in Delhi University campus
 

 
 
ABVP media convener Saket Bahuguna told WION: "We are here to protest against communist forces who have accused Indian Army of rape. These photographs (referring to photos of RSS workers killed in Kerala political violence) are of RSS activists who were murdered by Communist parties. They kill everyone who speaks against them. We want the government to take strict measures. When you try to break a country, that is definitely anti-nationalism."  
 

The turmoil in the university has reached the court with likely to take up a plea today filed by Delhi University law students against the police. Students from Delhi University's law department on Wednesday had approached the Delhi High Court for action against policemen who allegedly assaulted students and journalists at Ramjas College during a protest last week. ABVP had last week objected to JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) student Umar Khalid being invited to a seminar in Ramjas College titled 'Cultures of Protest' and then resorted to a violent attack on the seminar venue. They then proceeded to throw stones and threaten teachers even after Khalid and his JNU compatriot Shehla Rashid were disinvited by the college.  

A protest march was organised by DU students the next day against the violence in Ramjas College which was joined by Left wing students' groups and students from JNU. The march was disrupted by ABVP activists following which a violent confrontation took place between All India Students' Association (AISA) and the ABVP. Delhi Police had booked Umar Khalid for sedition last year for allegedly raising anti-national slogans in JNU. But they have not filed any chargesheet in the case so far. 

"I would like to first congratulate the students of Ramjas College who fought against the anti-national protestors. I would like to thank them for standing up for their college and their country. These are the people who in the name of freedom of speech want to break up the country, who in the name of freedom want a referendum in Kashmir,  those who kill RSS and ABVP activists every day in Kerala, they have spread Red Terror... Whoever challenges them, they call them contractors of nationalism...," ABVP vice-president Priyanka Chavdi said in her address.   
 
Watch Exclusive Video: ABVP rally in Delhi University campus
 

 

Posters of alleged incidents of violence against RSS workers were plastered all over the campus. “These are incidents of ABVP and RSS workers being killed, murdered and butchered by communists in Kerala,” said Bahuguna. 

Nearly 2,000 students bearing saffron flags, scarfs, banners and chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' participated in the march. The rally finally halted at the Vivekananda Statue in the university's Faculty of Arts, a giant flag of India was unfurled with protesters shouting that they will not tolerate anybody chanting slogans such as ‘Kashmir ki Azaadi’ (freedom for Kashmir) and ‘Bastar maange azadi’ that point towards the disintegration of the nation.  

“In the name of a seminar, anti-national conspiracy, anti-national powers are being propagated. I feel if the students are protesting, it is justified. Wherever such slogans are chanted, there should be a protest,” ABVP national organising secretary Akhil Ambekar told WION. 

Diksha Sharma, a first year BA honours political science student of Daulat Ram College, showed bruises on her arms, which she claimed were inflicted on her by a male student from a Leftist group. 

“There was a picture of me that went viral on social media in which I am hitting a boy. I accept proudly that I was hitting him, but you need to understand that I did it in self-defence. These Leftists frequently talk about feminism but now because of their selfish political motives have changed their definition of feminism and started calling me a goon. I still have marks on my body. If you say that ABVP was violent, why was it not shown that we were provoked to do what we did? There is a big difference between retaliation and hitting somebody” Sharma told WION. 

(WION)