’Can’t suppress our voices with rumours on social media’

Cops to book students for an impromptu vigil at monument even as Uddhav Thackeray voices support to youth

'Can't suppress our voices with rumours on social media'

At Gateway: Protesters at Gateway of India in the wee hours of Monday. Pic/Bipin Kokate

By Diwakar Sharma, Pallavi Smart, Gaurav Sarkar, Vishal Singh

Within hours of the violence breaking out at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, Mumbai's youth, as well as Bollywood, rose to the occasion, organising protests across the city on Sunday midnight and Monday to condemn it. The cops, however, were not amused and while admitting the protests were peaceful, said they would be booking the organisers of the Gateway of India protest as they had no permission. The crowd had swelled from 200 to nearly 2,000 at the venue.

After confusion across social media over whether it would take place, the protest on Monday against the attack on students at JNU, that began at Hutatma Chowk, turned into a rally that joined the group protesting at the Gateway of India since Sunday midnight. Once again, Mumbai's youngsters stand in solidarity against violence targeting their counterparts in Delhi, and peacefully.

At Hutatma Chowk: Demonstrators at Hutatma Chowk on Monday afternoon. PIC/DUTTA KUMBHAR; Bollywood celebrities (centre to right, bottom row)

"There were attempts on social media to spread wrong messages that this rally was cancelled. But people who turned up have shown how our voices cannot be suppressed," said Raafid Shahab from the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO). Many students, teachers and other citizens numbering around 500 reached Hutatma Chowk on Monday at 4 pm, chanting, 'Hum leke rahenge azaadi' and 'Inquilab Zindabad'.

Placards were being made on the spot by participants with messages such as, "If government is being Thanos we will have to stand as avengers," "Ladega India Tabhi Badhega India," "Khaki ke andar ka bhagwa kachcha, dekh raha hai India," "We demand Modi and Shah resign," etc.

At Carter Road: Raj Kumar Gupta, Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap; (centre to right, second row) Rekha Bhardwaj, Anubhav Sinha, Dia Mirza; (right, third row) Taapsee Pannu, and Zoya Akhtar at Carter Road on Monday evening. Pic/Anurag Ahire

'Hold a strict inquiry'
Sanchita Das, a PhD scholar from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) who was present at Hutatma Chowk, said, "What happened at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) shows how the sanctity of academic institutions has been violated. I was shocked after looking at the videos where students were asking not to be beaten up."

Pramod Mandade, a PhD scholar at IIT-Bombay, said, "There should be a strict inquiry against those who caused that violence in an academic institution of such stature. We have to continue the protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). This government is against the intellectuals."

Demonstrators at the Gateway of India. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Dr Samir Dalwai, a developmental paediatrician, was also part of the rally. He said, "What happened at JNU is unacceptable. If we accept that then we will be normalising it and that can't happen at any cost." Anil Karnik, a professor from Mumbai University, said, "I was shocked to see how the police gave a free hand to goons at JNU. This is not democracy."

'More voice to the protest'
After almost half an hour of activity at the Hutatma Chowk, participants rallied towards the Gateway of India with police protection. Nadi Palshikar, a writer and resident of Pune, was in Mumbai on Monday for work. She said, "My daughter is a student and lives away. If an act like this can happen in such a reputed institution, I fear for the safety of my child."

Gautam Korde, a social worker from Kandivli, was present with his crutch supporting his right leg. "What happened yesterday in JNU has only given more voice to the protest against CAA and NRC," said Korde.

Universities abroad shocked

The shocking incident of violence at JNU on Sunday evening has led to a major support movement not only across the nation but internationally. A statement of solidarity is being circulated online and is getting support signatures from teachers, students, scientists and others from the academic sector world-wide. The statement issued by academicians and scientists across the world is constantly receiving multifold support signatures from places such as – the University of Toronto, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, University of Virginia etc.

The Coordination of Science and Technology Institutes' Students' Association (COSTISA) has also issued a statement condemning the act. "We as student's collective of various IITs strongly condemn the barbaric police brutality of Delhi and UP Police unleashed on the unarmed and peaceful protesting students of Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University protesting against the anti-constitutional CAA.

15th December will be marked as a black day in the history of students' struggle," reads the statement that has been issued by COSTISA which comprises – the Ambedkar-Bhagat Singh Study Circle – IIT Kharagpur, Ambedkar-Periyar-Phule Study Circle – IIT Bombay, Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle – IIT Madras, Concerned Students of IIT Delhi, Forum for Critical Thinking – IIT Kanpur and Students for Change – IIT BHU. The students' union of TISS has also issued a statement demanding strict inquiry and action in the violence at the JNU. It has also called upon all academic campuses across Mumbai to extend support by joining protests.

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