NEW DELHI: Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank on Monday advised students across universities to “stay away from violence” even as top officials justified Sunday’s police crackdown in Jamia Millia Islamia campus saying that cops have the “right to enter anywhere in hard pursuit of criminals.”
The statement by the HRD Minister on Twitter came despite a demand by the Jamia Millia Islamia University administration for a high-level enquiry into the police action.
Sources in the HRD Ministry said while the minister had a detailed discussion with Jamia VC Najma Akhtar over the issue, a probe by the ministry as of now is unlikely.
“Police can enter anywhere in hard pursuit of criminals. In Sunday’s case, some miscreants had entered the university after damaging public property and police barged in chasing them,” said a top official in the ministry.
“As it’s a law and order issue, there is no scope for our intervention.”
Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs, under which the Delhi Police functions, also justified Sunday’s crackdown saying that police entered the campus to control the situation and bring out outsiders who indulged in violence and damaged public property.
“No law binds police to seek permission from University authorities in case of violence. It was not a routine situation,” MHA officials said.
Meanwhile Nishank, in a series of tweets on Monday, appealed to students all over the country to maintain peace.