A group of Jamia Millia Islamia’s (JMI) alumni recently released a video in relation to the JMI university incident which took place on the 15th of December.
The video is a CCTV footage showing the assaults and brutality of the Delhi Police against students inside the University’s library.
The CCTV footage is of the night of the 15th of December, when the Delhi Police indulged in violence and disallowed the students from conducting silent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act [CAA,] 2019.
The Jamia Coordination Committee took to Twitter and posted the video, stating the Committee received the video from an anonymous source.
After the video was all over social media platforms, Praveer Ranjan, the Special Commissioner of Police (CP) of the Crime branch, said, “A video of the incident has surfaced… We have taken cognizance of it and will investigate the matter.”
The Jamia students alleged the Police of entering the campus and attacking the students with lathis and tear gas shells. They said the students who sustained injuries were not even allowed to go out and get medical help.
Mustafa Musafa, a JMI student, said, “Some who those carrying handkerchiefs used them to fight the gas. The news of vandalism on the street had already spread and some students thought of closing the gate. We were locked inside (sic.)” He further added, “And then we saw 20 personnel entering the campus. There was no warning and a sudden crackdown. They asked me, ‘You want azadi (freedom)?’ I said, ‘No, I want a government job’. My head was injured.”
Mustafa also said, “I raised my hand because my head had a clot and I didn’t want another blow. But then, in front of the Ghalib statue, the police showered blows on me and I fractured both my hands.”
Describing the incident which took place on the 15th December, 2019, Mustafa said, “I was taken to the New Friends Colony Police Station where I was made to sit on the ground in bitter cold. The other students with me pleaded with the cops to take me to a doctor as my condition was serious but they did not budge.” After 9 hours of detention, Mustafa was released and said, “I can’t forget that police violated all rules and human rights. When someone said, ‘We will die’, one constable snubbed us and said, ‘It doesn’t matter.’”
He ended the description saying that night, one of the policemen asked him to recite Kalma, which is a prayer to God.
While the citizens are protesting against the Delhi Police and the ruling Central Government, the opposition also left no stone unturned in criticising the BJP.
Sitaram Yechury, a leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M,)] said, “Why hasn’t an FIR been registered against Delhi Police so long after this action against students in a library in the heart of Delhi? As the Home Minister has justified police action, courts should take suo moto cognisance of the footage and initiate action against those responsible.”
On the other hand, BJP member J.V.L. Narasimha, on the 17th of February, raised a question and criticised the students by asking why the students are studying with stones in their hands, instead of books and pen.
Defending the Delhi Police, the BJP Spokesperson said the INC is criticising the Police and supporting the students.
The BJP also highlighted the recent Pulwama attack and criticised Rahul Gandhi, the former President of the INC, for supporting the protesting students and not speaking about the sacrifices of the soldiers who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack which took place on the 14th of February, 2019.
The protests against the CAA, 2019 are still continuing in major Indian cities like Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and others.
While rallies are being taken out in other cities, Mumbai Bagh and Shaheen Bagh are conducting 24X7 protests against the newly implemented Act.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 grants citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, based on their religious beliefs. Refugees who are Sikhs, Hindus, Parsis, Christians, Jains and Buddhists and have been residing in India before or since the 31st of December, 2014, are eligible for Indian citizenship under this Act.
After the video went viral, the Delhi Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the incident which took place on the 15th of December incident and launched an investigation for the same.
