Politics Begin After Delhi Cops Manhandle Protesting JNU Students

Delhi Police officials were caught on camera using fisticuffs on male and female students alike.

Screen grab from the video showing Delhi Police personal cracking down on protesters. (Photo Courtesy: Sanghapali Aruna Kornana’s Facebook)

A video showing Delhi police attacking students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, went viral bringing the Centre under attack. The students were protesting Hyderabad PhD scholar Rohith Vemula’s and were manhandled by the Delhi police.

After initially trying to justify the action on the students on January 30, Delhi Police ordered a probe “for necessary action”.

The origin of the video was not clear but it appeared to have been shot by a student at the scene.

The video showed policemen in uniform and in plainclothes raining lathis on the protesting students.

Some officials were caught on camera using fisticuffs on the students, including women, and pushing them to the ground. A young woman who saw the beating said that they would file an FIR against police.

Referring to student protests at the Pune-based FTII and the Hyderabad University, Kejriwal said:

FTII, Rohith case, Hyderabad University, IITs and now brutal attack on Delhi students. Modi government seems to be at war with students.

Delhi Police does not report to the Kejriwal government but to the central home ministry and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said the Modi government “has become completely apathetic to the voice of students, in addition to being anti-Dalit and anti-poor.”

This insane crushing of dissent by using state machinery will not go down well with the youth of this country. 

<b>Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Congress leader</b>

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Monday issued a notice to Delhi police and demanded a report.

It is observed in the video that no female police personnel were present and male police personnel were beating protesters.

<b>Swati Maliwal, DCW Chief</b>

Police did not deny the authenticity of the video, and ordered an inquiry to be supervised by Deputy Commissioner Parmaditya.

The whole issue will be investigated. We will be able to comment on it only after it is over. We will take necessary action after the inquiry.

<b>Parmaditya, Deputy Commissioner</b>

He, however, accused the students of breaking police barricades and of misbehaving with police personnel.