In a “brutal crackdown,” the Delhi police on Wednesday teargassed and lathicharged hundreds of Occupy UGC students who headed towards Parliament against the forthcoming WTO conference on higher education. At least 200 students were detained, claimed student leaders. The police, however, put the number of students arrested at 150, according to PTI. Scores of students were also injured in the police action against the students.
The incident brought back the memories of the midnight swoop in October on students, who were picketing at University Grants Commission’s office.
The students from various universities on Tuesday had gathered at Jantar Mantar for the week-long national convention against the WTO — General Agreement on Trade in Services and non-NET fellowship. The December 15-18 inter-ministerial meeting, experts say, seeks to treat education as non-merit good and will open the floodgates for corporate players in higher education. They also assert that the signing of the agreement will lead to the loss of India’s sovereignty.
“All our pleading for a peaceful march fell on deaf ears as the police was hell-bent to stop and attack us. Students have gathered from all across the country, but we don’t know who all are injured. 700 students participated, but around 300 are detained. We don’t know where the rest are,” Aisa national president Sucheta De said.
“Our struggle is against those who see services like education and health as purely private profit-making activities,” Shehla Rashid, JNUSU vice-president, said.
Social media users upbraided the police for its “violent suppression of right to protest.” A Twitter user under @guptapurnima wrote: “Delhi police shame on you!”
The Occupy UGC movement, on its 50th day, began after the UGC scrapped non-NET fellowship on October 7. Later, the human resources development ministry revoked the decision, but students have continued their protest and are demanding enhancement in the stipend and expansion of the fellowship to state universities.
