NEW DELHI: Students from several Left-affiliated organisations held a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, demanding the release of students detained during recent demonstrations and calling for an end to what they described as the “criminalisation” of student protests.The demonstration, held under the banner “Student-Youth Unity; Long Live”, came days after a month-long agitation that ended with the resignation of former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.The protest followed a joint call by Left organisations, including the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), to mobilise “against the police crackdown on the students and youth of Bihar, Bengal and other states”.Members of several student groups, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO), DSF, PDSU, PSA, PSYA, ACNS, COLLECTIVE, DISHA and PACHHAS, joined the demonstration.Protesters raised slogans including “Chhatron ki giraftaari band karo” (stop arresting students) and “Chhatron ka criminalisation nahi chalega” (stop the criminalisation of students).Speaking at the protest, a DISHA activist appealed to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which had led the earlier agitation, to call for another mobilisation at Jantar Mantar.“If the CJP gives a call even today, students will return to Jantar Mantar. The movement can still be revived. If no fresh call is given, students will lose faith, and that would amount to a defeat of this movement,” she said.Several demonstrators carried placards demanding action against police personnel involved in the use of force during the July 20 protest march. One placard read: “Punish the policemen responsible for the brutality on 20th July”.Addressing the gathering, student leaders alleged that participants in the recent protests were being targeted by the authorities and claimed that several social media accounts linked to the movement had been blocked.“We can see how the authorities are targeting students across the country for protesting. We want to tell you that you are not alone; we stand with you. If they think students are scared of lathi-charge, they are wrong,” a member of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) said.An AISA member alleged that more than 300 students had been arrested in Bihar in connection with the protests and claimed that several detainees were injured during police action.Referring to an incident in Bihar, she alleged that four students sustained bullet injuries after alleged firing with AK-47 rifles near AIIMS, Patna, and were admitted to a hospital in the city.“Two students suffered life-altering injuries. One has undergone surgery and another still requires a second surgery. One of them is unable to move his shoulder,” she alleged.The protesters demanded the immediate release of all students detained in connection with the recent demonstrations and called for an end to police action against student activists.
