NEW DELHI: Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has lashed out at the government for arresting Jamia students and alleged that it is being done to create fear amongst the students so that they don’t participate in any agitation. Chidambaram, replying to a question during a press conference, said, “It is condemnable, entire case is false, even if you have to identify them you can call them for investigation.”
“This is to put fear in the minds of the students that they will put you in custody. If this is the state of the mind, it is incompatible with democracy,” he added.Police on Sunday arrested Asif Iqbal Tanha around 8 pm from his residence in Delhi. Tanha, hailing from Jharkhand is a final year graduate student in Persian language.Prior to this, police had arrested Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar and slapped charges under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against them.Meanwhile, The Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) accused the Delhi Police of “witch hunting” Jamia Millia Islamia students after Tanha was arrested.
The JCC comprises students and alumni of the university. The group was formed after alleged police brutality on the campus on December 15.“Instead of enquiring into the northeast Delhi violence and arresting the real culprits, Delhi police is shamelessly witch-hunting Jamia student leaders. While all the conspirators and perpetrators of northeast Delhi violence are roaming free, it is our leaders who are being sent to jail and slapped with draconian laws,” the JCC said.
With agency inputs