As many as 51 persons were injured and private cars and property damaged when masked persons, armed with rods and sticks, attacked students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on January 5, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. The government also informed the Lok Sabha that as many as 62 police personnel and 127 others were injured during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at Jamia Millia Islamia.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy said as reported by Delhi Police, a case was registered at the Vasant Kunj (North) police station on January 6 regarding the attack at JNU.
“Fifty-one persons sustained injuries and all were medically examined. No one was killed in this incident. Some private cars and property were also damaged. Some of the rioters involved have been identified,” Mr. Reddy said.
Security measures
The MoS (Home) added that safety measures undertaken by the police in the aftermath of the violence include deployment of police personnel both on and outside the JNU campus, liaising with students and the university administration to maintain peace, deployment of policemen in plain clothes around the campus, stationing a PCR van in the vicinity of the campus and briefing students and the administration to report to them immediately if any violent or unwanted activity comes to their notice on campus premises. The JNU administration has also deployed 277 private security personnel on campus round the clock, the Minister said.
Mr. Reddy quoted Delhi Police as reporting that no case was registered against the injured students, adding that details of the investigation could not be divulged at this stage.
‘Police entered campus’
On being asked whether the police entered Jamia campus without the permission of university authorities, Mr. Reddy said, “As reported by Delhi Police, they entered the university campus chasing the violent congregation of students/mob to nab/disperse the offenders, control the situation and to protect the government property as well as saving the lives of innocent students residing in the area.”
“As reported by Delhi Police, three cases were registered against the mob, who were found involved in unlawful activities and defacing public property while protesting against the amended law. Fifteen persons have been arrested by Delhi Police. Sixty-two police personnel and 127 persons, including 36 students, were injured,” he said replying to a written question.
In response to another question, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said, “Delhi Police has reported incidents of violence, unlawful gathering, stone pelting, damage to public/personal property and number of persons arrested during the protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.”
Mr. Rai said Delhi Police has also informed that so far, 66 anti-CAA protests have been held in the national capital, 11 cases have been registered following the violence and 99 persons have been arrested.
He also said that the Central government has received resolutions adopted by the Legislative Assemblies of certain States such as Rajasthan against the CAA and the Kerala government has also filed a suit in the Supreme Court under Article 131 of the Constitution.
‘Citizenship’ is a central subject under entry number 17 of List I - Union List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, and Parliament has legislative competence to enact laws for all central subjects under List I as provided under Article 246(1) of the Constitution, said Mr. Rai.
Published - February 05, 2020 01:11 am IST
