Students Rally at Jantar Mantar Against Police Actions in Several States
Students from various organisations held a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday, voicing concerns over what they described as excessive police force during recent demonstrations in West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam. The protest, which lasted about two hours, was the first at the historic site since a 36-day agitation led by the group CJP ended on July 25.
The call for the protest was issued by 13 student bodies, including the Students' Federation of India, All India Students' Association, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, and All India Students' Federation. Neha, the national president of AISA, who had been on a 23-day hunger strike during the CJP-led agitation, also participated.
Protesters held placards reading 'Rise in rage' and 'Stop implicating students on false charges'. Some demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging police brutality during the July 20 'Chalo Sansad' march. The participants walked past barricades that police had welded together to create an enclosed space and regulate entry.
Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke called for action against those who ordered the use of pellet guns on July 20. Stating that 'students are not terrorists', he warned of a fresh agitation on a 'much bigger scale' if what he termed as harassment by police continues. He alleged that police in many states are visiting students' homes and threatening them with arrests.
On social media, the CJP accused the Delhi Police of issuing takedown notices and registering FIRs to remove posts critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations) Vinit Kumar said that notices are sent for content that spreads misinformation, includes AI-generated or deepfake material, or is misleading. He described the process as part of routine social media monitoring.
The protest highlights ongoing tensions between student groups and law enforcement authorities in the wake of the CJP-led agitation. Both sides have presented conflicting accounts of events, with students alleging excessive force and police defending their actions as necessary for maintaining order and preventing the spread of false information.
