By The 2-days seminar of Ramjas College Delhi University, organised by their Literary Society, got cancelled after the heated protest by members of Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) and Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) against two speakers Umar Khalid & Shehla Rashid on Tuesday (21st Feb 2017). Umar Khalid, one of the JNU Students accused with sedition last year and another student, Shehla Rashid were invited to speak at “Culture on Protest” session. Umar khalid’s topic at the seminar was “The War in Adivasi Area” on which he is doing his PhD from JNU. But before they could reach the College, the members of DUSU and ABVP arrived & protested against them.
They met principal Rajendra Prasad & objected to Khalid’s participation at the event. Police advised Mr. Prasad to cancel those two students’ lecture as situation could go out of hand. Vinita Chandra, an English Teacher of Ramjas College said “A large group of students had gathered near the venue & were shouting slogans of VANDE MATRAM & BHARAT MATA KI JAI.” Some of the students were unhappy with the slogans and thus went out of conference hall, started peaceful protest and walked back. But before second session could start, electricity to the hall was switched off & some protestors started throwing stones inside and broke window panes of hall. I wonder why police couldn’t stop the protestor from throwing stones. There was no permission from the principal to hold the seminar.
As situation were going out of control, the College Management decided to cancel those lecture & Khalid had to turned back. He blamed ABVP for this and said “I was told ABVP is protesting against my talk. They are behaving like goons and doing whatever they want to.”
Apart from this Umar Khalid trying to panic students by sharing false news through social media:
P.S. No implementation of section 144 around Delhi University. Campus is free for students however the classes of Ramjas College is suspended until 23rd February.
While Khalid & some other people blamed ABVP & DUSU for this heated protest, the DUSU president Amit Tanwar justified the protest by his statement. Amit Tanwar said “These people shouted anti-national slogans in JNU campus. They called for destruction of India. How can we let them speak in DU? We were against invitation to anti-nationals for addressing a seminar & shouted slogans against that. However there were no violence & it was a peaceful protest.”
Priyanka Chhawri, Vice President DUSU protesting over Invite to JNU’s Umar Khalid in Ramjas College
DUSU Vice President Priyanka Chhawri also got injured in this protest. She was badly manhandled and got some bruises, she cleared us that
“The protest was mainly consisted Ramjas College Students, Union & DUSU instead of ABVP only and it was the outrage of the common students of DU who were against those anti-national slogans.”
Ramjas Principal said to media “While the seminar will continue, we decided to cancel participation of those 2 students. It is not that we don’t advocate freedom of speech but it had to be done keeping peace & harmony of campus in mind.” While many students & teachers got injured in this protest, Mr. Prasad choose not to comment on the allegations of lack down and stone pelting.
Due to the clash broke out between activists of ABVP and other students from Delhi University, classes will be suspended till 23rd February in Ramjas College.
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