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BHU students’ protest in Capital brings out the horrors that girl students live with

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BHU students’ protest in Capital brings out the horrors that girl students live with

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Photo by Bhavana Gaur

~By Lilly Paul

A two-day protest was organized at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi (September 26-27) by the alumni and students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) over the brutal lathi-charge against the students on September 23. The students were protesting against an incident on September 21 where a student was harassed by unidentified men on her way back to the hostel.

The Joint Action Committee from BHU, which included a group of 11 of the university’s students, protested against the lathi-charge and discrimination faced by female students in the varsity. Their demands included suspension of the vice-chancellor and the SP and DIG along with a judicial enquiry into the event.

The students got the support of other universities such as Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Swami Agnivesh also extended his support to the protesting students and called out the vice-chancellor of BHU, GC Tripathi for his comments and actions.

The VC in his interview to a media organization has said: “This was not a case of molestation, this was a simple case of eve teasing that was deliberately staged a day before the Prime Minister’s visit.”

The students also demanded formation of a sexual harassment committee, installation of CCTV cameras, gender sensitization in the campus, and abolition of curfew timings and other discriminatory rules for girls.

BHU students’ protest in Capital brings out the horrors that girl students live with

Photo by Bhavana Gaur

Mineshi Mishra, a Psychology Hons final year student of BHU said that on September 23, the vice chancellor was asked to address the students at the protest site as women’s safety was the larger issue, whereas the VC wanted to meet only some specific students. The girls were told by the VC’s PA that he would meet them soon. As they were waiting for the vice-chancellor to arrive, the police suddenly started thrashing the students. Students were lathi-charged across the campus. The girls who were hiding in the Women’s College near the protest site were also thrashed and abused by the police.

“This further agitated the students who were waiting just for a dialogue with the VC. Instead, the VC set the police on us with lathis and teargas and rubber pellets. It was shattering,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Proctor of the university, Onkar Nath Singh resigned on Wednesday taking moral responsibility of the incident. The station officer of Lanka police station, Circle Officer of Belapur and three Additional City Magistrates were removed following the demonstration against the lathi-charge.

However, the students are not satisfied by these removals and resignations instead they call all of it a farce.

Vikas, student of BHU said: “The chief proctor is not responsible for the lathi-charge, it cannot be done without the VC’s permission. It is the VC who should be suspended.”

The students accused the university and the VC of having a regressive stand regarding women and their education. When the students had demanded a 24×7 library and access for girls, the university administration had denied their demands saying that allowing women access to libraries at night is not practical. They also said that the VC in his two-year tenure has made comments in public which very clearly depicts his mentality towards women. Citing one such incident, the students told that the VC in his address in an IGNOU conference in Delhi had said that the female students keep the scholarship money for their dowry and use it for many such things which cannot be openly said in such a platform.

BHU students’ protest in Capital brings out the horrors that girl students live with

Photo by Bhavana Gaur

In another incident in March, this year the VC in his address to the students of Mahila Mahavidyalay, BHU, had allegedly said that for the VC, daughters are those who, if asked to choose between their career or their brother’s, give more preference to their brother’s career.

“Anybody who is educated, rational and has a scientific temperament will naturally oppose such orthodox views and so the friction is inevitable. Our fight is not against that chief proctor, the VC or any such official for that matter instead it is against the regressive mentality that the university has for women,” he said.

On being asked about the alleged petrol bombing from the students, the BHU students responded that ones who threw petrol bombs were goons protected by the VC. “This is a group which is constantly involved in molestation and extortion inside the campus. They make derogatory comments about women on social media and have close connection with the VC. This is the reason why no complaints can be made because when the assaulters are themselves defended by the VC, who will take action against them?” one of the students said.

“The alleged violence was done so as to break our protest and split us into groups,” Mineshi said.

Security

A constant criticism about the university is the lack of security measures on campus, which is a major complaint of the students, too. The university has no cell to address cases of sexual harassment on campus. All that the girl students can do is to complain to the proctors who in return shame them.

The proctor’s office was just a few steps away from the incident, but when on September 21 the student went to the proctor with her complaint, no action was taken. The students also say that had the proctor acted on time they could have caught the assailants. One of the proctors even went on to say, “Why create such a ruckus, you have only been molested and not raped.”

“The proctors alone get a budget of Rs 16 crore. Where is the budget used? The only job of the proctors now is to do moral policing and to catch couples who move together. The girls have had to give it in writing that they are guilty of moving with their friends and will never do so in the future,” Mineshi said.

The students said that it is not easy to protest against the university administration. The girls have been speaking up for so long but to no avail. The students who speak against the administration are personally targeted in classrooms. From hostel allotments to academics, everything can be affected if the administration is criticised. The students also said that the professors are also under the same pressure as the students and therefore they have not come out openly in support but clearly back the students’ protest.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Amit Shah says congress won’t return to power for 30 years

Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi over the Opposition’s vote theft allegations, asserting that the Congress would not return to power for the next 30 years.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a fresh attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning the Opposition’s allegations of vote theft and asserting that the Congress would not return to power for the next 30 years.

Addressing an event in New Delhi, Shah criticised Gandhi over his absence from the country and challenged the Congress’s objections to the Election Commission of India (ECI), arguing that the party accepted the electoral process when it won elections but questioned it after defeats.

The remarks came during an event related to projects for the rejuvenation of the Yamuna, where Shah also targeted the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over their political record in Delhi.

Amit Shah’s warning to Rahul Gandhi

Taking a dig at Gandhi over his reported foreign visit, Shah said the Congress leader would have to remember his words when he returned to Delhi.

The Home Minister argued that the Congress’s political setbacks had begun long before Narendra Modi became Prime Minister and said the party could not attribute its electoral losses solely to allegations of irregularities in elections.

Shah also defended his confidence in the BJP’s electoral prospects, contrasting his prediction of the party remaining in power with the Congress’s prospects under its current political approach.

He asserted that the Congress would not get another opportunity to form a government for the next 30 years. The statement was a political prediction made by Shah, rather than an established electoral outcome.

Shah questions Congress over vote theft allegations

Shah accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of adopting inconsistent positions on the Election Commission, depending on whether election results favoured them.

Citing electoral victories in states including Kerala, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, he argued that the Congress and its allies had accepted the electoral process when they won.

He questioned why the same institutions and electoral arrangements became subjects of criticism when the Opposition lost elections.

Shah also targeted the Opposition’s protests against alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He alleged that the Congress was using vote theft claims to protect the votes of infiltrators.

These were allegations made by the Home Minister and should be understood as his political assertions, not as independently established findings.

Amit Shah targets Opposition’s protest strategy

The Home Minister also criticised the Opposition’s demonstrations in Delhi, arguing that protests could not overturn the public mandate.

He said political parties seeking electoral victories should engage with people and address their concerns rather than rely on demonstrations and allegations against constitutional institutions.

Shah further accused the Opposition of applying different standards to court decisions, suggesting that it welcomed judgments in its favour while questioning those that went against it.

His remarks came amid continuing political disagreements over the electoral process and the Opposition’s criticism of the Election Commission.

Yamuna projects and attack on AAP

During the same event, Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 43 Delhi Jal Board projects worth Rs. 8,941 crore, aimed at improving wastewater treatment, drinking water infrastructure and the rejuvenation of the Yamuna.

He criticised previous governments in Delhi over the river’s pollution and accused the Congress and AAP of failing to address the problem adequately.

Shah also targeted AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, arguing that political parties should be judged by their performance rather than their explanations for failing to deliver results.

He said the BJP would work towards cleaning the Yamuna and improving water and sewerage infrastructure in the national capital.

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India News

PM Modi attacks Rahul Gandhi with failed product jibe 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted Rahul Gandhi at the World Summit with a “failed product” jibe, renewing his criticism of the Congress leader.

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PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, using the “failed product” remark to criticise the Congress and its repeated attempts to promote its political leadership.

The remark was part of Modi’s political attack on the Congress leader at the summit, which is being held in New Delhi on October 22 and 23 under the theme A World Between Orders. The two-day event brings together political leaders, policymakers, business executives and experts from technology and other fields.

PM Modi’s ‘failed product’ remark

The phrase “failed product” has featured in Modi’s criticism of the Congress before. In August 2023, while replying to the no-confidence motion debate in the Lok Sabha, he said the Congress had repeatedly tried to launch a “failed product”, with each attempt failing.

At the 2026 summit, the remark again became a point of political criticism directed at Rahul Gandhi.

The comment should be understood as a political jibe by the Prime Minister, rather than a factual assessment of Rahul Gandhi or the Congress.

World Summit 2026

The third edition of the World Summit is taking place in New Delhi on October 22 and 23. Its theme, “A World Between Orders”, focuses on changes in global power structures and the challenges facing countries as the international order evolves.

The summit’s discussions cover geopolitics, global strategy, economic developments, artificial intelligence, technology and India’s role in the changing world order.

Prime Minister Modi is among the prominent speakers at the event, which brings together voices from politics, diplomacy, business, science and culture.

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India News

Yogi Government cites Rs.15,233 crore seizures in UP gangster crackdown

Uttar Pradesh has reported asset seizures worth Rs.15,233 crore under the Gangsters Act since 2017, while housing projects on reclaimed land have provided homes to 148 families, according to reports on the state’s anti-mafia measures.

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Yogi Adityanath

The Uttar Pradesh government has highlighted its action against organised crime under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, citing property seizures worth Rs.15,233 crore under the Gangsters Act since March 2017.

The figures form part of the state’s wider campaign against criminal networks and assets allegedly acquired through illegal activities. The government has also highlighted housing projects developed on land reclaimed from illegal occupation, with 148 families receiving homes across two projects.

The reported figures reflect the administration’s stated approach of targeting both criminal networks and the financial resources associated with them.

Rs.15,233 crore in assets seized under Gangsters Act

According to figures reported by the state government, action under the Gangsters Act has been taken against tens of thousands of people since March 20, 2017. The value of seized movable and immovable assets linked to illegal activities has been reported at more than Rs.15,233 crore.

The government has also reported action against identified mafia figures and their associates. Such measures form part of its broader efforts to target organised criminal networks in Uttar Pradesh.

These figures are government-reported statistics and should be attributed to the authorities rather than presented as an independently verified assessment of the state’s overall crime situation.

Housing projects on reclaimed land

The administration has also pointed to housing initiatives using land freed from illegal occupation. According to reports on these projects, 148 families received homes through developments in Lukerganj, Prayagraj, and Dalibagh, Lucknow.

The projects have been presented as an effort to put reclaimed land to public use, including providing housing to economically weaker families.

Yogi government’s anti-gangster approach

The action against criminal assets is part of the Yogi Adityanath government’s broader law-and-order strategy. The administration has repeatedly emphasised action against organised crime, the seizure of assets linked to criminal activity and measures intended to strengthen policing.

The reported seizure figures and housing initiatives illustrate the government’s stated emphasis on pursuing criminal assets alongside action against individuals and gangs.

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