Sharad Yadav criticises police action against protesting BHU students

The protesting Banaras Hindu University students were reportedly lathi charged by the police on Saturday night.

Janta Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav. File

Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Sunday denounced the alleged police action against Banaras Hindu University (BHU) students protesting the increasing incidents of eve-teasing on the campus, and said the issue will be raised in Parliament.

A group of students had staged a sit-in at the main gate of the university after a woman student of the Arts Faculty was allegedly harassed by three motorcycle-borne men on the campus.

The protesting students were reportedly lathi charged by the police on Saturday night.

“It has never happened before at BHU. It is sheer violation of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution,” Mr. Yadav said in a statement.

“We will raise the issue in Parliament... It is intolerable in a democracy and the government should apologise,” he said, adding people will take to the streets to protest it.

BHU students have alleged they have to face eve-teasers on the campus regularly and the varsity administration was not taking any action to stop the miscreants.

BHU, however, said the protest by the students was “politically motivated” to malign the image of the university.