Delhi University: ABVP demands ban on leftist organisations

Right wing student's groupAkhilBharatiyaVidyarthiParishad(ABVP) took out a protest march in Delhi University's north campus today, callingfor a ban on "anti-nationals", even as students from around the campus continue theirprotest 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 Matakijai' and carried placards with photographs of the alleged killingofRashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh (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, AnmolRatan(JNU student leader), who raped our women and justifies anti-national activities. We are taught torespect and ensure the safety of women in oursociety as per the moral values taught to us. Buttoday 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.

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

Watch Exclusive Video: ABVP rally in Delhi Universitycampus

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 atRamjasCollege during a protest last week. ABVP had last week objected to JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) student Umar Khalid being invited to a seminar inRamjasCollege 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 compatriotShehlaRashid were disinvited by the college.

A protest march wasorganisedby DU students the next day against the violence inRamjasCollege 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 anychargesheetin the case so far.

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

Nearly 2,000 students bearing saffron flags, scarfs,bannersandchanting'Bharat MatakiJai' and 'VandeMataram'participated in the march.The rally finally halted at the Vivekananda Statueintheuniversity'sFaculty of Arts, a giant flag of India was unfurled with protesters shouting that they will not tolerate anybody chantingslogans such as ‘KashmirkiAzaadi’(freedom for Kashmir)and ‘Bastarmaangeazadi’ 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,”ABVPnationalorganisingsecretaryAkhilAmbekartold WION.

Diksha Sharma,afirst yearBAhonourspoliticalscience student ofDaulatRam College,showedbruiseson her arms, which she claimed were inflicted on her by a male student from a Leftist group.

“Therewas a picture of me that went viral on social media in which I am hitting a boy. Iacceptproudlythat I was hittinghim,but you need to understand that I did it inself-defence. TheseLeftists 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”Sharmatold WION.

(WION)