Widespread arrests of protesters against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, who include students and research scholars from the Banaras Hindu University have cast a shadow on the institution.
On December 19, when some students were holding a peaceful protest march in Beniabagh, some of them were arrested and sent to jail. Later on December 25, 51 professors of the University released a press note condemning CAA and NRC as “against Indian tradition of inclusiveness and idea of a pluralist democracy”.
However, protesting students and professors now admit to a growing sense of fear.
“When the students of Joint Action Committee (JAC) stage protests, both the University and district administration slap charges against them but when other groups associated with right wing organisations do, nothing happens to them,” Priyesh Pandey of the JAC told The Hindu. On Sunday, Priyesh and his friends staged a protest inside the campus for the release of all 56 protesters currently in jail.
