Skip to main content

Delhi Police 'taking revenge' against Jamia students: President Kovind asked to act

Counterview Desk 
In a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention in recent arrests of several student activists of Jamia Millia Islamia, 140 plus signatories from diverse groups, including academicians, students, alumni and activists from India and abroad, have said that this is being done “with the ill will of the police authorities and is clearly a violation of basic legal norms.”
The letter says, the arrest of Jamia students by the Delhi police is being carried out “with the intention to take revenge”, adding, “They wanted to silence the voices that are being raised against their arbitrariness. This is visible from their action that during this global pandemic also they are arresting scholars of a 100 years old university.”

Text:

We, as concerned citizens are deeply disturbed by the recent state of affairs by the Delhi Police.
Jamia Millia Islamia as an institution is a complainant in the case against the Delhi Police. In which it has been alleged that Delhi police entered the university premises without their sanction and vandalized the university library.
Furthermore, they have beaten the university security guard for entering the campus and innocent students studying in the university library and reading hall, of which several were brutally assaulted and one of them lost his eye. This complaint was filed by the university officials after the pressure created by the students (two of them got recently arrested and were booked under the Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act).
However, the Delhi Police denied all these charges and submitted to the court that they entered the library to protect the students sitting in the library. The fact of the matter is that there is no FIR against the police personnel till now and the above-stated matter is also for the registration of the FIR.
This brings out that if any security agency is at fault then it is difficult to register an FIR against them. But it is evident from the leaked CCTV footage of the university library that the brutality of the Delhi Police was extremely harsh and no state will treat their students like this.
Why all this is narrated to you when everyone is aware of the police brutality that happened on the December 15, 2019? Interestingly, 2019 was the centenary year of the martyrdom of Jallianawala Bagh. All this is narrated to you because when the police brutality took place against the students of Jamia, the whole nation stood up for their cause so that they should get justice.
But the recent arrest of the Jamia student is done with the ill will of the police authorities and is clearly a violation of the basic legal norm i.e., Nemo Judex in Causa Sua, means, "no-one is a judge in his own cause." The action took place after the district court asked the Delhi Police what action you had taken on the incident of December 15.
They wanted to silence the voices that are being raised against arbitrariness. This is visible from their action that during global pandemic
This raises a question on the criminal justice system of the civilized state, that do we ask the murderer before registering an FIR against him: ‘Hey murderer (alleged) do we register an FIR against you because you have been alleged as an accused in the murder case’? What do you think, how will he respond? His response will not be self-incriminating but he might give excuses for doing the murder.
In the legal process, the case of the prosecution is heard first, then comes the defense, but in the case of Jamia, Delhi Police is getting all the right to defend themselves and they are also tampering with the evidence because they are roaming free and have the authority to do whatever they want (by putting the students of Jamia in jail as they are a prime witness in the said case).
Therefore, any arrest of the students of Jamia or any other university by the Delhi Police is with the intention to take revenge. They wanted to silence the voices that are being raised against their arbitrariness. This is visible from their action that during this global pandemic also they are arresting the scholars of a 100 years old university.
So, if the arresting of victims of December 15 is possible in this situation of pandemic then to safeguard the criminal justice system the investigation should also start against the accused of December 15.
Likewise, the situation that broke in the Northeast part of Delhi, there are a series of news reports that indicate inaction by the police authorities. This calls for an independent inquiry into the matter. However, with a spree of arrests taking place, in some cases on vague grounds, it becomes essential for your office to intervene.
We urge you to look into this matter and help justice prevail.
---
Click HERE for signatories

Comments

TRENDING

Why Venezuela govt granting amnesty to political prisoners isn't a sign of weakness

By Guillermo Barreto   On 20 May 2017, during a violent protest planned by sectors of the Venezuelan opposition, 21-year-old Orlando Figuera was attacked by a mob that accused him of being a Chavista. After being stabbed, he was doused with gasoline and set on fire in front of everyone present. Young Orlando was admitted to a hospital with multiple wounds and burns covering 80 percent of his body and died 15 days later, on 4 June.

Walk for peace: Buddhist monks and America’s search for healing

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The #BuddhistMonks in the United States have completed their #WalkForPeace after covering nearly 3,700 kilometers in an arduous journey. They reached Washington, DC yesterday. The journey began at the Huong Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, 2025, and concluded in Washington, DC after a 108-day walk. The monks, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, undertook this journey for peace and mindfulness. Their number ranged between 19 and 24. Led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara (also known as Sư Tuệ Nhân), a Vietnamese-born monk based in the United States, this “Walk for Peace” reflected deeply on the crisis within American society and the search for inner strength among its people.

Pace bowlers who transcended pace bowling prowess to heights unscaled

By Harsh Thakor*   This is my selection and ranking of the most complete and versatile fast bowlers of all time. They are not rated on the basis of statistics or sheer speed, but on all-round pace-bowling skill. I have given preference to technical mastery over raw talent, and versatility over raw pace.

Bangladesh goes to polls as press freedom concerns surface

By Nava Thakuria*  As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes. 

Four women lead the way among Tamil Nadu’s Muslim change-makers

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  A report published by Awaz–The Voice (ATV), a news platform, highlights 10 Muslim change-makers in Tamil Nadu, among whom four are women. These individuals are driving social change through education, the arts, conservation, and activism. Representing diverse fields ranging from environmental protection and literature to political engagement and education, they are working to improve society across the state.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

When a lake becomes real estate: The mismanagement of Hyderabad’s waterbodies

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava*  Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misguided governance and management of urban lakes in India —illustrated here through Hyderabad —demands urgent attention from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the political establishment, the judiciary, the builder–developer lobby, and most importantly, the citizens of Hyderabad. Fundamental misconceptions about urban lakes have shaped policies and practices that systematically misuse, abuse and ultimately erase them—often in the name of urban development.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha raises concerns over ‘corporate bias’ in seed Bill

By A Representative   The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has released a statement raising ten questions to Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan regarding the proposed Seed Bill 2025, alleging that the legislation is biased in favour of large multinational and domestic seed corporations and does not adequately safeguard farmers’ interests. 

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah  Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".