English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

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

Published

on

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

In Maharashtra, PM Modi says red book of Constitution flaunted by Congress contains nothing

Published

on

Asserting that the act was nothing but a testament to Congress’ disregard and hate for Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the red book of the Constitution which was flaunted and distributed by the grand old party contained nothing.

PM Modi was referring to the recent event led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra’s Nagpur, where allegedly the books with ‘Constitution of India’ written on the front containing blank pages except for the preamble on the first page were distributed.

However, the Congress refuted the allegation made by the BJP and accused it of spreading a fake narrative. The Congress clarified that a notebook and a pen was given to all those who had attended the event.

Addressing an election rally in Nanded, PM Modi said the entire country was in shock over “this foolish and unfortunate political play of Congress”.

Hitting out at the Congress, PM Modi said Congress has broken its own record in fraud. He said the grand old party is distributing its own red book in the name of the Constitution.

“It is written on the top of the Congress’s red book – Constitution of India! But, when people opened it from inside they found that the Lal Kitab was blank! Printing Lal Kitab in the name of the Constitution… removing the words of the Constitution from it… this is Congress’s old thinking to destroy the Constitution. These Congress people…want to run their own constitution in the country, not Baba Saheb’s,” he charged.

He said Congress is hell-bent on ‘divide and rule’. PM Modi accused the Congress of pitting one caste against another, one community against another, adding it wants to break the OBCs into factions so that they become weak. This is how the Congress wants to weaken the society, snatch away the reservation rights, and make ground for fulfilling its own selfish motives, PM Modi added.

“You will have to stay vigilant of Congress’ divisive tactics. You will have to stay aware of Congress’ hidden agenda of breaking and destroying the country. Remember, ‘Hum Ek Rahenge To Safe Rahenge’!” said Modi.

The Prime Minister said after independence, the first betrayal of Baba Saheb’s Constitution by the Congress party was in Kashmir. The whole country accepted Baba Saheb’s constitution but the Congress party implemented a different constitution in Kashmir through Article 370, he alleged. He added that a different flag was used in place of the Indian tricolour in Kashmir.

He alleged that for several years the people of Maharashtra had been a victim to the exploitation of the Congress party. Moreover, Congress had been a foundation for causing deterioration in Marathwada farmers’ lives, he added.

Modi said his party is committed to ensuring the welfare of everyone so as to give Maharashtra new wings of development whereas Congress never cared about the concerns of the farmers, women and children.

“Only when Maharashtra prospers can India truly develop! For that to happen, we must ensure that every family in Maharashtra flourishes. The central government and Mahayuti Alliance are working tirelessly to turn your dreams into reality. By electing Mahayuti candidates with a landslide victory, you’ll secure a brighter future for yourself and your loved ones,” PM Modi said.

Continue Reading

India News

Jharkhand elections: BJP chief Nadda says children born to infiltrators will not have tribal rights

Nadda alleged that “corrupt people and thieves” are part of the JMM-led government in the state.

Published

on

BJP chief JP Nadda on Saturday asserted that his party will not allow tribal rights to children of infiltrator father and local Adivasi mother when voted to power in Jharkhand.

The JMM-led government has given shelter to Bangladeshi nationals and they would be driven out, said Nadda while addressing an election rally here at Bishrampur in Palamu district.

“Children of Bangladeshi infiltrator father and Adivasi mother will be denied tribal rights if BJP is voted to power in Jharkhand. It will not allow infiltration to continue,” the BJP chief said.

Nadda alleged that “corrupt people and thieves” are part of the JMM-led government in the state.

“Time has come to oust single engine government from Jharkhand and restore double engine government here for all-round development,” he said.

He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi the budget given for the development of tribals of Jharkhand and the entire country has been increased three times. Likewise, he said PM Modi has increased the budget given for Eklavya Model Residential Schools for the education of children of tribal society by 21 times.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who also visited the state earlier today, accused the Hemant Soren-led government of rolling out a red carpet welcome to Bangladeshi infiltrators and said such forces will be deported as soon as the BJP forms government in the state.

Congress and JMM are spreading lies that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will claim tribal rights, he charged. The Home Minister made it clear that the BJP will put tribals out of its ambit.

“The JMM-led coalition has laid out a red carpet for Bangladeshi infiltrators, who settle in Jharkhand and grab tribal land, employment of youths, and indulge in anti-national activities. Let the BJP regime form. They will be deported, and not a bird will be allowed to cross the border,” Shah said at an election rally at Potka in East Singhbhum.

He asserted that the saffron party will put corrupt Congress and JMM leaders behind bars and release every paisa of poor people they looted.

“This election of Jharkhand is a very important election. In this election you have to decide whether you want a government that insults tribals and backward classes or a government that respects tribals and backward classes,” he said.

“If you want a government that respects tribals and backward people, then you will have to form a BJP government,” Shah added.

Continue Reading

India News

Rahul Gandhi says Maharashtra next after Telangana kicks off caste census

Gandhi said the party will use the data obtained from the Telangana caste census to formulate policies for the development of every section of the state.

Published

on

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has hinted at the Maharashtra caste census next after the Congress-led Telangana government kicked off the survey in the state on Saturday.

“Soon this will happen in Maharashtra also,” the former Congress chief said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The Maharashtra Assembly election will take place in a single phase on November 20 and counting on November 23.

Gandhi said the party will use the data obtained from the Telangana caste census to formulate policies for the development of every section of the state.

“Modi ji, caste census has started in Telangana from today. We will use the data obtained from this to formulate policies for the development of every section of the state,” he said.

“Everyone knows that the BJP does not want to conduct a comprehensive caste census in the country,” said Gandhi.

Challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said Modi cannot stop the caste census across the country. “We will pass the caste census in this parliament and break the wall of 50% on reservation,” he said.

Earlier today in a post on X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh announced that the Telangana government will kick off its long-awaited caste-based survey on Saturday and called it a historic and revolutionary moment for the state.

“The Congress Government in Telangana will begin its caste-based survey today. 80,000 enumerators will be going door to door over the next few weeks, covering over 1.17 crore households across 33 districts,” he said.

Ramesh said this is the first time a caste-based survey will be conducted by the government in Telangana since 1931. “It is a historic, revolutionary moment – one that is a realization of the Telangana Movement’s aspirations for the state and a fulfilment of one of the key ideals of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution,” he added.

“It is also, as Rahul Gandhi noted in Hyderabad earlier this week, a blueprint for the national caste census that the INDIA coalition’s Government will conduct. This census, and the lifting of the Supreme Court’s arbitrary ceiling of 50 per cent on reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes are central to @INCIndia’s vision for the country,” Ramesh said.

Ramesh said the party is committed to the idea of social, political, and economic justice in India, as laid out in “our Constitution and as envisioned by India’s founding fathers”.

Earlier on Tuesday, Gandhi attended a meeting on the caste census at the Gandhian Ideology Centre in Telangana’s Bowenpally. Congress leader Dr Kota Neelima spoke about the significance of the meeting.

Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar provided details about the caste survey, which is being conducted for the first time in Telangana.

In October, Prabhakar announced that a comprehensive caste survey would take place in Telangana from November 6 to November 30. The enumerators will conduct the survey by visiting houses from November 9, he said.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com