BBC documentary row: Delhi varsity students detained for holding protest meeting

By A Representative
On March 24, even as commemorating the martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru on their 92nd martyrdom day, several left-wing students’ organisations -- bsCEM, BASF, Fraternity Movement, SIO, AISA and SFI -- held a protest against the recent action of debarring several students for organising the screening of the banned BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in Gujarat riots.

The meeting was organised under the banner of the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch.

In no time, claimed student sources, approximately 100 guards and 100 Delhi police force, including 50 CRPF men, that marched into Delhi University.

Students were manhandled and detained, the sources said. Women and queer students were attacked to the extend that their clothes were pulled and derogatory statements were made. Women guards stated that “girls like you deserve to be treated as such.”

The students’ demands included:

Take back the arbitrary notice of debarring students.
Take back the arbitrary notice asking apology for democratic activity.
Stop inflicting FIRs on the students.
Allot auditorium in the campus for democratic programs to students.
Apologies to the students for their mental harassment. And we will struggle until the university authority fulfills our demands.

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