Marking Gandhi Jayanti, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) on Monday organised a protest at Rajghat to raise the issue of women’s safety on campuses across the country.
Members of the organisation sat on a day-long fast, singing bhajans. They invited speakers to discuss the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi on empowering the youth and providing opportunities and safety for women.
The NSUI said that Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of a nation that was free from pride and prejudice, and asked every Indian to stand against the wrongs.
The students added that over the past few years, unity and coexistence as one nation, for which the Father of our Nation was assassinated, has been forgotten over time by organisations claiming to be the “torch-bearers” of culture in the country.
“Today women are treated as second-class citizens. Their education is an issue that has become a mere publicity stunt for the Narendra Modi government. When they ask and stand up for their rights, they are lathi-charged by the government,” said the NSUI.
Job creation
They alleged that security of women has hit an all-time low with members of the ruling party and their family members considering it their birthright to harass women as and when they feel like.
Speakers at the protest felt that if the nation was to prosper, its youth should be employed to live a good life. “Mr. Modi promised 10 million jobs to the youth of this country, but like many other election promises this one also has turned out to be a lie. Job creation has been the lowest in the past three years despite the rhetoric of giving jobs that were repeated again and again at every election rally,” said members of the NSUI.
The protest was interrupted when the police asked the students to disperse from the venue.
