Students Recount Their First Hand Experiences of Jat Quota Stir

Events unfolded, panic spread, disappointments increased but thanks to our university and servicemen, we are safe.

As citizens of this country who believe in the upliftment of the needy, we recount the events that took place this past weekend in the state of Haryana where rioters created pandemonium in the name of caste, thus creating nuisance and fear in the minds of young aspirational fellow students like us who dream of a better India.

It was Friday morning, no classes, the weekend had begun; plans were made and we had decided to spend the day in Delhi. We were to return to our college OP Jindal University the same night. The day was going as planned, until we got news about the protests that had started in a few areas of Haryana.

Due to lack of news coverage on the matter, we thought going back to college before the protests increased was a safer option, but little did we know that heading back to college would be more tiresome and terrifying than expected.

Due to road blocks, railway tracks being blocked, and full-blown riots in Rohtak, one of the main highways [NH1] that connects the capital to Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu was completely jammed, creating panic and nuisance for all of us. We were stuck in the traffic jam for a few hours with only one hope left – that we reach campus safely.

Travelling to the university from the border was scarier than expected. We didn’t know what to expect nor were we prepared to tackle the situation. On finally reaching the campus safely, we were informed that the university had deployed 54 security guards with 3 gunmen and had spoken to the local police station about patrolling the area.

But this was just the beginning.

Little did we know that this protest would turn into mayhem. At first, the college authorities advised us to not venture out of campus and sent us numbers to contact the concerned authorities in case we were unable to re-enter the campus.

We later learnt that Section 144 had been imposed. News reports were the only source of information on the situation outside. The agitation had increased. College authorities informed us about the deaths of 3 people in Rohtak due to the agitation.

Shortly, we received an email advising us to stay indoors and not step outside. Students were not issued outpasses. Due to the protests, our college was unable to procure food supplies.

Students working with the administration in the Food and Mess Committee had to make a new short menu, reserving the food supplies for a longer period of time. There was a shortage of dairy products, groceries, and fresh vegetables and fruits.

Upon learning of this, all the students decided to stock food from the store and Amul Parlour on campus. Within 2 hours, the food supplies including milk and bread from the store were over.

By Saturday night, all students who were outside campus were asked not to return and Monday, 22 February 2016, was declared a holiday.

On Sunday Morning, we started discussing how to get more supplies and change the menu along with the administration. Several Rescue Action Force (RAF) members arrived on campus in lieu of security. Army men were also deployed on campus.

Girls were asked not to step out of their dorms. By 5 pm, we got to arranging snacks for the students. We managed to provide food to the entire student community inside their dorms. Around 7 pm, our friends from the men’s dorm started contacting us and told us about the evacuation process that would be taking place for them. Students were informed and all of us panicked.

RAF men evacuated the entire student community of the men’s dorm within an hour, as they needed to use it as a base. The boys were asked to spend the night in classrooms, our library and the auditoriums. The workers were asked to stay back and were provided with accommodation for the night.

Students were then asked to switch off all lights and draw the curtains in their rooms. This really created panic among the students on campus.

A complete black out had been ordered and we were not told the reason.

It was dinner time, so a few of us junior and senior students decided to help out the administration. After dinner, everyone was asked to return directly back to their dorms, latest by 9 pm. We were all walking in groups and in uniform so as to not lose track of one another.

We, as students, were asked to share plates so that we didn’t face any shortage.

With so many RAF men on campus, they had to be provided with bed sheets and a few mattresses to spend the night.

We managed to pull out all the extra bed sheets and gave it to the army. We took rounds of the entire campus to make sure that no other students were roaming around.

All men were strictly asked to stay within the academic block and all girls in their dorm with no lights. We were mentally and physically exhausted by this time. But the JGU student community showed strength and stood together.

While we all panicked, we handled the situation with the support of the JGU administration.

On Monday morning, we received an email from the Registrar. The administration had arranged transportation for all students.

22 - 28 February was declared a holiday.

At first, we volunteered to make sure that the other students left campus safely, when we took the bus however, our bus had to return to campus because of the protestors’ fresh violence and gathering near the highway.

Five minutes later, we left campus again and this time we were taken via a different route. Before the agitation could increase, we reached the nearest metro station which took us till the airport. This whole time, we were escorted by RAF men.

It was such a relief for us to finally get home safe, away from all the violence and panic that the situation had created. Though it hasn’t reduced yet, we would like to thank the JGU administration and security forces for all their support.

It was a tough weekend but with the help of the student community and administration, students were safely transported to the nearest metro station allowing them to return home. We thank our Vice Chancellor, Registrar and all the other people in the administration.