Students from universities across the Capital marched to the Ministry of Human Resource Development once again on Wednesday seeking justice for Hyderabad University student Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide earlier this month. Delhi Police detained as many as 60 students citing security reasons.
Following police action, students at the police station decided to go on an indefinite hunger strike and demanded the resignation of Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
“Every time we try to go to the Ministry and raise our demands with HRD Minister Smriti Irani, we are held back and detained. Protesting is a basic right. We can’t be denied that at a time when the government is trying to cover up ‘institutional murder’,” said JNU Students’ Union vice-president Shehla Rashid Shora.
Police, however, said the students had to be detained outside Shastri Bhawan due to security concerns. They were taken to the Parliament Street police station.
“Our peaceful protest was stopped forcibly and violently by the Delhi Police. We did not even touch a barricade. In this situation of extreme repression by the Central government, we are left with no other means to voice our dissent but to start an indefinite hunger strike inside Parliament Street Police Station. We will begin the hunger strike demanding the unconditional resignation of Smriti Irani,” said Sucheta De from AISA.
Members of the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and Left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) were also part of the protesters who demanded the removal of Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya.
“We are protesting against the delay in justice to the student who had to end his life due to harassment by the institution. Who will be held accountable for similar suicides in varsities across the country that go unreported?” asked Ms. De.
Police said the students had to be detained outside Shastri Bhawan due to security concerns
