Students on a protest march demanding justice for Rohith Vemula on his death anniversary were detained near the Janpath metro station on Tuesday.
The ‘Insaaf’ march, from Mandi House to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, had been called by the Jawaharlal Nehru Students' Union (JNUSU) to highlight injustices that have continued even after Rohith's death. Among the issues raised were the disappearance of MSc student Najeeb Ahmed, the arrest and suspension of students from marginalised sections of society and the University Grants Commission's May 5 notification that “goes against the ideals of social justice”.
Forced into buses
The march drew participants from other universities in the city as well as activists from the All India Students' Association and the Students’ Federation of India. The Delhi Police and Paramilitary forces put up barricades at Janpath and tried to divert the students towards Jantar Mantar. When the students resisted, they were forced into buses that took them to the Parliament Street Police Station.
‘On a peaceful march’
The students said they objected to the use of force by the police as they were on a peaceful march. While trying to escape the use of force, some of the students fled towards the Janpath market and into shops with policemen running after them.
Demand for Rohith Act
The AISA that participated in the event had called for a national protest day demanding justice for Rohith, justice for Najeeb and the enactment of Rohith Act. They said that the in last one year, the Modi government not only ignored the demand for a Rohith Act to make caste- based discrimination in universities a cognisable offence, but have also indulged by inaction a series of caste-based and political victimisation in universities.
Candle light protests and public meetings were also organised at JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia and Jantar Mantar in memory of Rohith Vemula.
