ABVP Demands Strictest Action Against Culprits, Justice for Victimized Students
Prayagraj/Lucknow: Following the brutal police lathicharge on students protesting peacefully at Shri Ram Swarup Memorial University (SRMU), Barabanki, the government-appointed investigating officers met with a delegation of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today. The inquiry team, comprising Divisional Commissioner (Ayodhya) Mr. Rajesh Kumar and IG Range (Ayodhya) Mr. Praveen Kumar, was briefed on the entire sequence of events by the ABVP delegation. The high-level ABVP delegation included National Secretary Ankit Shukla, Kashi Prant Secretary Abhay Pratap Singh, Goraksh Prant Secretary Mayank Rai, Kanpur Prant Secretary Shiva Raje Bundela, Awadh Prant Organizing Secretary Anshul Vidyarthi, National Executive Council members Srishti Singh and Rishabh Singh Bisen. The delegation presented the facts of the incident and demanded the strictest possible action against all officials responsible.
On Monday, ABVP had organized a protest against several critical issues at the university, including deception over the Law degree’s recognition by the Bar Council of India (BCI), the illegal expulsion of two students, arbitrary fee collection, the unlawful imposition of a ₹5000 fine, and the administration’s opposition to the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ on August 15th. ABVP alleges that the university administration was misleading students and running the course illegally. During the protest against these malpractices, more than two dozen student activists were seriously injured in the police lathicharge.
ABVP stated that issues between students and the administration should have been resolved through dialogue. Instead, in the presence of the CO City, the police brutally lathicharged the peacefully protesting students, which is completely unjustifiable. Ankit Shukla, National Secretary of ABVP, stated, “Police intervention between students and the university administration is entirely inappropriate. The brutal lathicharge on peaceful students began as soon as the CO arrived. We demand an impartial investigation into this entire episode and the strictest punitive action against all guilty officials and the university administration. Injustice against students will not be tolerated. If the students’ demands are not met within a set timeframe, ABVP Karyakartas will be forced to launch an agitation in the interest of students, for which the Uttar Pradesh government and the university administration will be fully responsible.” The investigating officers have assured the ABVP activists that an impartial inquiry will be conducted and that the culprits will not be spared under any circumstances.
