Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Nov 11: With no clue about JNU student Najeeb Ahmed’s status even after 27 days of his mysterious disappearance from the university hostel, many national students organizations have jointly announced to hold nationwide protests throughout this week. Gathered on the appeal of JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU), leaders of the students organizations held a joint press conference at JNU on Friday and endorsed efforts to accelerate the movement until Najeeb is found.
Speaking to the media, Mohit K Pandey, President of JNUSU gave details about the weeklong agitation. “Our concrete demand is – there should be a thorough and fair investigation in the matter. On Saturday, effigies of JNU Vice Chancellor and Union Home Minister will be burned in campuses across the country. The programs for justice for Najeeeb will be conducted in different campuses on 13th and 14th November. And on 15th November, we have called a march ‘Chalo JNU’ which will be joined by members of many national students organizations. The event will mark one month of Najeeb’s disappearance.”
“Many members of Parliament will also be joining the program and hopefully this issue will also be raised in the upcoming session of parliament starting from 16th of November,” he added.
Youth leaders present at the press conference included Sucheta De, National President, AISA; Mayukh Mishra, Joint Secretary, Students Federation of India; Waliullah Qadri, National President, AISF, Aijaz Ali Shah, President, JNU NSUI Unit; Prashant Kumar, Delhi state Secretary, All India Democratic Students’ Organization; Anmol Panwar, Secretary, Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti, youth wing of Aam Aadmi Party and Dileep Kumar, President, Students Front of Swaraj.
(L-R) Aijaz Ali, Anmol Panwar, Prashant Kumar (in white shirt), Dileep Kumar, Mayukh Mishra, Waliullah Qadri, Mohit K Panday at press conference at JNU on 11 Nov 2016. (Photo – IndiaTomorrow.net)
In its press statement, JNUSU said, “A student from a minority community goes missing from the university, his assaulters roam scot free and the university administration, police, ruling government remain mute spectators. The pattern is simple, clear and unmistakable. The government of the day has waged a war on campuses and on all marginalized sections and dissenting voices across the country. Yesterday, it was Rohith Vemula who was pushed to suicide, then it was JNU students charged with sedition and jailed, today it is Najeeb, tomorrow it may be any of us.”
Background
Najeeb, first year student of M.Sc. (Biotechnology), went missing from his Room No. 106 at the Mahi-Mandavi hostel of JNU on 15th October, day after an alleged scuffle with some members of ABVP. Eyewitness and some residents of the hostel have alleged that during the scuffle previous night (14th Oct), Najeeb was brutally assaulted by a mob of 15-20 students.
On the complaint of his mother, the local police lodged a case of abduction on 16th Oct. On the instruction of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the Delhi Police also set up a Special Investigation Team on 20th Oct.
Najeeb’s mysterious disappearance has forced the students to hold protest demonstrations. Since 17th Oct, students have been continuously protesting inside and outside the campus.
On 21st Oct, over 100 students tried to march towards the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, they were detained on the way and let off later in the evening. On 23rd Oct, they made a long human chain at the campus – from the Administrative Bloc to the Residence of Vice Chancellor. Najeeb’s mother, sister and brother were also part of the human chain. The family has been protesting along with the students at the campus since the day one.
On 6th Nov, hundreds of students called a protest at India Gate but Police didn’t allow them as section 144 was imposed in the area. Delhi police allegedly dragged Najeeb’s mother and many students were manhandled before detention and taken to Mandir Marg and Mayapuri Police stations. On very next day 7th Nov, around 200 students, civil rights activists and the family protested against Delhi police outside the Delhi Police headquarters over ‘manhandling’ of Najeeb’s mother.
