‘Neutral’ students march against Khalid event

New Delhi: North Campus remained tense on Monday as various groups went on with their demonstrations against the “anti-national” event organised at Ramjas College on February 22. ABVP and

DUSU

carried a 180-foot-long national flag as part of their Tiranga Yatra from Ramjas to the Vivekananda statue at Arts Faculty. A right-wing teachers group, Rashtriya Shiksha Sangh, also organised a sit-in at Arts Faculty against the teachers who had “supported these elements”.

Violence had erupted at Ramjas when ABVP and DUSU opposed the presence of JNU student leader

Umar Khalid

in a seminar, Cultures of Protest. “These are all neutral students who have come here to show solidarity with the nation and that we are against those who organised that anti-national event,” said Yogit Rathi, president of the Ramjas union. On the allegation that ABVP is curtailing free speech, Rathi said there was a difference between free speech and hate speech. “Hate speech incites violence and free speech encourages dialogue and discussion.”

The participants said they won’t tolerate any anti-national activity on the campus. DUSU president

Amit Tanwar

said they would protest against anyone who would plan to organise any such event. “I would urge all students to oppose any such person or event in their respective colleges.” Ankit Sangwan, DUSU general secretary, attacked the teachers for inviting Khalid “who is known to give anti-national slogans and statements” and questioned the media for calling ABVP “violent”. Some people are trying to poison DU like they did JNU but “students of DU are aware and if someone tries to raise a finger at the nation, that finger will be cut”, he said.

Rashtrawadi Shikshak Sangh underlined the danger that the country is facing due to activities of the “anti-India” brigade. Geeta Bhatt, recently elected to Academic Council, emphasised the need for all nationalists to come together against such intellectual terrorism. “The English teachers of Ramjas in the staff council meeting said they should not have brought Umar Khalid for the event. The protests and violence are a tactic by the left to come to the negotiating table because nobody listens to them outside,” she said. “We have sworn to enforce nationalism and anybody who is not a nationalist will be destroyed by us. We must counter red insects,” said Manoj Khanna of Bhaskaracharya College.

DUSU will hold a silent protest on Tuesday while the left-backed groups will organise a march, DU Against Gundagardi, from Khalsa College. JNU students will take part in the second march.