The protests at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) against unabated and increasing incidents of eve-teasing haven't seemed to reach any conclusion. The university continued to remain on tenterhooks as the students' protest turned violent, police lathicharged the protestors, evoking a sharp response from political leaders. Several political parties, including the Congress, have come out to support the student and condemn the Uttar Pradesh government's response and the police crackdown on the students.
Vice-Chancellor speaks
However, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Girish Chandra Tripathi, insists that people from outside the university are responsible for the violence. The latest incident of eve-teasing, which triggered these protests, was reported on Thursday. A woman student of the arts faculty was harassed by three men on a motorcycle inside the campus as she returned to her hostel.
Heavy police force deployed outside the Banaras Hindu University. PTI
Talking to The Indian Express,Tripathi said that the incident of sexual harassment was "created by outsiders" with "vested interests" who had an eye on the prime minister's visit to Varanasi. He added that while the campus has adequate security measures in place, "security for boys and girls can never be at par".
"If we listen to every demand of every girl we won't be able to run the university," the report quoted him as saying.
The students of BHU have been protesting outside the vice-chancellor's residence and several female students were injured when the police allegedly used force to remove them. The students reportedly wanted to meet Tripathi but were stopped by security guards.
The vice-chancellor claimed that the use of force was against criminals and not girl students, according to The Indian Express report.
The girl students of BHU feel that the campus is unsafe because of its poor lighting, lack of CCTVs and uncooperative security guards, according to a The Hindureport. Following the incident, the woman students submitted a memorandum to the Dean of Student Welfare. It states, "Boys come from outside and engage in objectionable acts... They pelt stones, and use filthy language while passing by."
State governor Ram Naik constituted a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to examine how the "police behaved and other aspects".
Varanasi Divisional Commissioner, Nitin Gokarn sent an interim report to the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary on Tuesday.
#BREAKING -- BHU Violence Probe: Commissioner sends interim probe report to Chief Secretary
(File Image) pic.twitter.com/Tt15o4O2cu— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 26, 2017
Government's response
The Uttar Pradesh government removed three additional city magistrates and two policemen in connection with the baton-charge on students. Station officer of Lanka police station Rajiv Singh was removed and sent to police lines.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered an inquiry into the violence and sought a report from the Divisional Commissioner about the incident as well as on the lathicharge on journalists.
Some journalists and girl students were injured in the police crackdown on Saturday and it led to protests in Lucknow, with some journalists staging a sit-in near the chief minister's residence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have spoken to Adityanath over the police action, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said, adding that the state government will find an appropriate solution to the issue.
He said the party was committed to ensuring dignity and respect of women and any opinion should not be formed on the basis of any isolated incident.
Condemnation of the incident
Various political parties, including the Samajwadi Party, criticised the government and condemned the police action.
AAP condemned the midnight police baton charge on girl students. Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that it is unpardonable and shameful that police, instead of acting on the girl student's complaint of alleged molestation, ordered male police personnel to enter girls hostels during night hours.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Raj Babbar was arrested along with other party leaders ahead of their participation in a protest demanding Tripathi's sacking. The Times of Indiareport quoted Babbar as saying, "It is shocking that I am not being allowed to reach BHU to meet the injured girls and know their problem. They (policemen) started a bid to stop me from the airport."
The National Students Union of India (NSUI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged demonstrations in New Delhi on Monday against the baton-charge on BHU students. ABVP demanded constitution of a fact-finding committee, while the NSUI demanded an inquiry under a sitting high court judge and resignation of the BHU vice-chancellor.
The two student organisations had separately announced their plans to stage demonstrations outside the office of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in New Delhi.
However, the NSUI claimed that it supporters were detained much ahead of the venue, while ABVP activists were allowed to reach the site.
With inputs from agencies
Published Date: Sep 26, 2017 09:42 am | Updated Date: Sep 26, 2017 10:05 am
