Left student activists were detained near Karnataka Bhavan, Thursday. (Amit Mehra) Protests were held in several areas of the national capital Thursday against the hijab curbs in Karnataka, with police registering an FIR against five protesters over a march held at Delhi University’s Chhatra Marg.
“At 4.10 pm, around 25 protesters of Bhagat Singh Chaatra Ekta Manch/SIO and other student organisations came to the barricades outside gate number 3 of Delhi University at Chhatra Marg. They started shouting slogans and were immediately removed from the premises and peace was maintained. They did not have any permission and legal action under IPC Section 188 has been lodged at Maurice Nagar police station against five students,” a senior police officer said.
Ramees EK, national secretary of SIO, said: “The students in the city were peacefully protesting against shutting down the gates of education to Muslim students practicing their faith… We demand that the FIR be withdrawn immediately…”
In a separate protest, Left student activists along with members of the All Lawyers’ Association for Justice (AILAJ) were detained near Karnataka Bhavan before they could start their protest. Activists of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) had called for a protest on the issue at Chanakyapuri.
Heavy deployment of Delhi Police and CRPF was seen outside bhavans and adjoining areas. As protesters started gathering near Assam Bhavan, they were picked up and put into buses and taken to Mandir Marg police station for detention.
AISA JNU secretary Madhurima Kundu claimed police misbehaved with protesters. “When I was trying to talk to the media, my pants were being pulled. Also, a communal slur was made in front of one of our comrades,” she alleged.
DCP (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav said, “Despite prohibitory orders, some protestors assembled at Kautilya Marg. They were removed in the presence of women personnel and legal action has been taken. Allegations of police brutality and harassment are incorrect.”
Three people were detained during a protest at Shaheen Bagh in the evening.
DCP (Southeast) Esha Pandey said, “We have detained three persons for conducting a march without taking permission. They have been released after all legal procedures.”
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