BENGALURU: A day after the showdown between BJP workers and students of Jyothi Nivas College, Bengaluru, over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwath Narayan asked who gave students the right to question BJP workers. The DyCM came under severe fire for his statement.
On a day when students of various colleges, including JNC and St Joseph’s, stood in solidarity with each other, politicians bickered, accused and warned each other.
“Who are they to question when we are spreading awareness about a law of the land? If students had a problem, they could have gone to the police. Instead, they directly questioned workers of a political party. Who gave them this right?” asked Ashwath Narayan. He defended his party workers, who have been accused of forcing students to sign a banner in support of CAA, and later entering into an argument when faced with opposition.
While BJP leaders were busy defending their party workers, insisting they would continue their awareness drives in more colleges across the state, Congress leaders took the opportunity to back the angry student community. BTM Layout MLA and former Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy visited the college on Thursday morning in support of the students. “There are public parks and grounds where they (BJP) can have their drives. Why create a mess in colleges? To support CAA or not is an individual choice, they cannot force people. We stand with the students firmly,” said Reddy.
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah did not stop at just accusing the BJP of threatening students, but went on to warn the Yediyurappa government of consequences. “@BJP4Karnataka goons are threatening students of Jyotinivas College to support CAA. Mr @BSYBJP, I am strictly warning you to control hooligans from your party. Don’t subvert knowledge & institutions for your selfish motives. We won’t let Ktaka to be victim of your Hitler rule! Educational institutions are a source of dissemination of knowledge, critical thinking & scientific temper. While @BJP4India ideology is on weak foundations of fascism. BJP is threatened by the knowledge base of our Universities & hence they want to subvert & weaken them.(SIC)” Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Collective being formed for student protests, safety
Bengaluru: A group of 150 students from 15-20 colleges in the city, along with a few faculty members, held a meeting at St Joseph’s College regarding the safety of the students in the wake of the protests. In the meeting, which was held at 5.30 pm on Thursday, it was decided that a student’s collective would be formed, similar to ‘Student Outpost’, where students from all colleges can come together to protest on similar issues. The collective won’t carry the name or logo of any institution, a Joseph’s student told TNIE. “The college administration usually suppresses the voices of students for various reasons. But after the JNU incident, and especially the JNC clash in the city, the administration has become a bit more relaxed and allowed us to protest on our own. But this collective, which will be formed in the near future, is a larger movement for students to voice their opinions,” a student said.
Azim Premji Univ students stage protest, slam Wipro
Bengaluru: Students of Azim Premji University in Bengaluru conducted a protest at their campus from 12pm to 5 pm, to condemn the violence against the students of JMI, AMU and JNU. The protest saw about 150 students condemning the incidents at the various campuses. Interestingly, students of the university condemned Wipro for assisting the government in implementing NRC in Assam.
Archbishop writes to PM, Prez criticising CAA
Bengaluru: An Archbishop from the city has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Governor Vajubhai Vala, condemning the CAA. The letter was handed over to the Karnataka Governor, who is expected to pass on the same to higher-ups. “Do not make religion a criterion to provide citizen ship. We need to act a model for other countries, not stoop down to their level and compare ourselves with them. If we do not support a community that is being left out, tomorrow it can be someone else. We, as a Christian community, are for all,” said Peter Machado, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bengaluru. The letter read, “While appealing to the citizens to maintain peace and harmony and that they should not recourse to violent methods to fight for their cause, we appeal to the central government to grant citizenship to the illegal migrants, not on the basis of their religion, but on the merit of each individual case.”