Mumbai stands in solidarity with JNU

Mumbai: Several hundred people on Monday assembled at Hutatma Chowk in Fort to protest against the alleged attack on the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi.

Violence had broken out at JNU on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, after which the police conducted a flag march. At least 28 people, including JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured.

At Hutatma Chowk, police maintained a strong presence and were seen asking protesters to not spill onto the massive junction that leads to important areas like Mantralaya, Cuffe Parade, Colaba, Churchgate and Marine Drive in south Mumbai.

Besides, hundreds of students and activists carried out a march from Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India on Monday. “Aazadi slogans were raised at the protest,” officials said. Protesters were carrying placards and shouting slogans condemning the violence they claim was perpetrated by the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and other outfits linked to the ruling BJP.

Students also carried out a candlelight march. Youngsters, mostly students from different colleges in Mumbai, assembled on the pavement across the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel near the Gateway of India to condemn the violence.

It was an “impromptu assembly at a short notice”, a student said.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister Jitendra Awhad also joined the students at the protest and sat with them discussing their demands.

“When people begin to fear intellect, there is anarchy,” the minister told reporters.

“I am going to convey the feelings of the students to the government. When students agitate, one should understand that this is a serious issue,” he said.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said JNU students were subjected to a cowardly and planned attack.

“JNU students and professors were subjected to a cowardly but planned attack,” he said. “Use of violent means to suppress democratic values and thought will never succeed,” Mr Pawar added.

Meanwhile, NCP workers staged a protest outside the BJP office in Mumbai to show solidarity with JNU students. Th-ey shouted slogans again-st Home Minister Amit Shah. They were taken into custody, police said.