The Jawaharlal Nehru University once again turned into a battlefield on Sunday evening as social media posts by students bleeding heavily surfaced one after the other, leading to a massive hue and cry by netizens on the manner in which students were being assaulted in the heart of India's national capital.?
Conflicting reports continue to emerge on social media as well as news agencies but one thing that stands clear so far is the brutal repression and injury suffered by many students from the University, who have been at the forefront of protests against the proposed fee hike by the administration as well as the BJP government's signature Citizenship (Amendment) Act that has led to widespread protests across the nation for well over past two weeks.?
News agency PTI quoted JNU administration as saying that students agitating over the hike in hostel fees "ransacked" the server room and "intimidated" the technical staff on Saturday, hampering the semester registration process.But JNUSU said the administration used "masked" security guards to attack students.?
"They were shamefully wearing masks. JNUSU president was openly slapped by one of the security guards," alleged the students' union, which has called for a boycott of the process over the increase in hostel fees.The university has been seeing a standoff between the students and the administration over hike in hostel fees for over 70 days.?
Students even boycotted exams in protest, prompting the administration to send question papers to students through WhatsApp and email, a move condemned by the student union.?
JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh was seen severely bleeding in some of the videos and pictures. An update on her current state is awaited.?
It is being alleged that the reported scuffle broke out after protesting students were targeted with stones by members of the ABVP, the student wing of the ruling BJP government with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm.Even as hundreds of social media posts sent shivers down the spines of onlookers at the manner in which students were bleeding and pleading for help, it was quite astonishing to note the passive role of Delhi Police.??
The personnel of the same police force ransacked Jamia Millia Islamia earlier, and fired tear gas shells as well as thrashed students with utmost repression but failed to protect these students from being brutally attacked.?
This is a developing story and conflicting reports may lead to further confusion. We await more details and official statements from the university as well as Delhi Police, following which they will be added here.??