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Panelists say administration should have ensured peaceful protests

Protests mount at many places across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), with violence at many places. Protests in Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia and Uttar Pradesh‘s Aligarh Muslim University led to violent clashes. The apex court will hear petition regarding the protests and arson on December 18. APN’s popular debate Mudda discussed the issue. Anchorperson Parivesh Vatsayan posed the questions to the panellists, including the BJP’s Aniruddh Singh, Congress’s Manoj Tiwari, ABVP’s Ashutosh Shrivastava and noted scribe Kumar Bhavesh Chandra.

Chandra said: “In Ranchi today there’s an election, the situation is tense. Violence has to be stopped. The administration should have been alerted about such events. Isn’t it a failure of the intelligence services? Why they did not alert the government? This is the time of examinations, and students will not start the protests for nothing. There is angst and provocation as well. We cannot rule out political hand in the protests and violence. Now, Prime Minister Modi should focus on sabka vishwas (confidence of all).”

Singh said: “Section 144 is clamped in parts of UP.  There is a way to hold a protest. It does not mean that you shall be allowed to burn public transport. CAA was introduced by an elected government. Please feel free to debate on any subject. Students should understand that. But politicians are stoking communal fires. We have video tapes, stones were hurled on the cops.”

Tiwari said: “I would appeal to the students to hold peaceful protests. This is a country of Gandhi, let’s live as per his ideals. Yesterday’s protests in Delhi were peaceful; nearby Okhla people joined it, but suddenly the issue flared up. Students were beaten about mercilessly, look at the footage for that. A Ranchi student stated that the police came suddenly and started beating students. See, we may agree or not agree with the government. It is the government’s job to get consensus, to talk to all factions, and interested groups. If the BJP had the consensus, why its ally parties are protesting? The government has got a huge mandate, but appears to have forgotten the definition of democracy.”

Singh said:”We are not compromising on democracy. Our manifesto mentioned scrapping of Art 370, and so on. People read the manifesto and voted for us. The students are post-graduate students, not children. Now how can you say students were studying in the library on a Sunday? We have footage regarding that.”

Tiwari said: “In University library, students do go on Sundays to study. Delhi Police saw students in the library, now where was the provocation to start beating them? Sometime back in BHU, students were beaten. And when such incidents happen, the blame is laid on opposition parties. There is nothing wrong in the protests. Holding protests is perfectly democratic.”

Chandra said: “I can definitely see a political script behind some incidents. But of course, wherever there are minority elements, there is anger against the government. Semester exams are going on, and such events are disturbing the students. The government needs to tackle the situation delicately. It looks as if both opposition and the ruling parties are out to milk the situation.”

Shrivastav said: “Students do join protests when things get out of hand. India’s resources are limited, so why should we allow outsiders to come in.”

Chandra said: ”Students have the right to be worried about their future. This youth is the future of tomorrow.”

Singh said:”But students need to be told not to get violent.”

Shrivastav said: “Students will protest, it is the administration job to ensure peace. It is not fair to beat agitating groups.”

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