To extend solidarity to the protesting students of Jawaharlal Nehru University, student bodies of Delhi University joined hands to organise a protest demonstration at North Campus’ Arts Faculty yesterday. The protest was organised by the All India Students Association, Pinjratod, Students Federation of India, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, Disha, All India Democratic Students Organisation, and Democratic Students’ Union. 

Many professors from DU also joined the protest. The students marched around the university campus and surrounded the statue of Swami Vivekananda at the Arts Faculty and started shouting slogans.

Students at JNU have been protesting updates in the IHA draft manual that proposes to hike the hostel fees by 999  per cent, asks the female students to come dressed “appropriately” for meals at the dining hall, and introduces a curfew time of 11 pm. The protest has been ongoing since October 28. The students call the new rules “draconian” and “undemocratic”. Earlier this week, during a protest march that attempted to reach Parliament, several students were injured in the lathi-charge by the police and over 50 students were detained. 

To express their dismay with the new rules and the use of violence by the police, DU students burnt effigies of Amit Shah and the Delhi police. An effigy of Ramdev was also burnt by the students to express their dissent against his comments directed at the supporters of Ambedkar and Periyar. 

Neel Madhav, a third-year student of journalism at DU, told Newslaundry: “Every section of society should condemn this attack on students. It is shameful how the government is treating its own students. Everyone should support the fight to ensure the rights for the underprivileged of society.”

A statement released on Monday by the All India Democratic Students Organisation said, “Turn the spark in JNU into a blaze of nationwide anti-fee hike movement and to resist the fascist attack of privatisation, commercialisation, communalisation and centralisation of education.”

Slogans like “Ladho padhai karne ko, padho samaj badalne ko(fight for education, and study to bring a change)” and “Privatisation ke takkar mai, sangharsh humara naara hai (In reply to privatisation,struggle is our motto)” were raised.

Abhigyan, a member of AISA leading the protest, said, “This protest is not only about JNU, but it is also about our educational right. This has now become a fight for the very existence of public education. Police claim that they used minimum force, I imagine what would their maximum force look like. The attack on the students was shameful.”

Protesters brandished several posters against the Delhi police and the JNU vice-chancellor. One poster read, “Shiksha ko sasta karo, humari police se raksha karo  (Make education cheaper, protect us from the police)”.

Swali Prakash, DU president of AISA, addressed the crowd: “We have to show that the attack on students will not dampen our spirit and the fight will continue as long as the demands are not meant. Delhi University stands with JNU and supports its fight for reclaiming educational rights.”

Professor Laxman Yadav of Delhi University said, “Attempts are being made to kill the dream of Ambedkar. Students across universities should unite to make sure that public education is saved from the assault happening right now.”

Students also opposed the draft National Education Policy and criticised the media for being “partisan” and “biased”.