Students and staff attacked in India following campus protests

At least 40 students and members of staff were admitted to hospital after being attacked by masked men at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in India on 5 January, prompting public outcry.

Images from Indian television have shown the assailants attacking students and teachers, including the Students’ Union President Aishe Ghosh, who sustained a serious head injury.

It comes following protests at universities across India, including JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in December in response to the government’s introduction of a new Citizenship Ammendment Act (CAA).

The Act has been criticised within India as well as globally for its alleged racism in entitling non-Muslim immigrants from neighbouring countries to Indian citizenship.

Violent clashes with the authorities during protests against it, as well as allegations of sexual harassment against students by the police, heightened global outcry and led shows of solidarity.

Staff, students and alumni from British universities, including the University of Warwick, the University of Cambridge and LSE among others, have made statements and protested in solidarity with Indian students.

A protest in solidarity with the protestors in India was organised by Critical South Asia Group, University of Warwick, on Wednesday 8 January outside the Oculus on campus. Students, staff and alumni all took part in the protest.

Staff, students and alumni from British universities, including the University of Warwick, the University of Cambridge and LSE among others, have made statements and protested in solidarity with Indian students

JNU, a prestigious government-run university which offers lower fees than other private institutions, also experienced protests and cases of police brutality against students last year following the introduction of an accommodation fee hike.

The University’s Students’ Union (JNUSU) has released a statement blaming Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a right-wing student group linked to the governing BJP party, for the attack, however they have denied responsibility.

“ABVP in police presence is moving around with lathis, rods, hammers with their faces under masks. They are pelting bricks, climbing over walls and getting into hostels and beating up students,” a statement from the JNUSU claimed.

Aishe Ghosh, has called for Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar to be fired after a delegation of the JNUSU and the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) met with the government’s Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

Following the attacks, the MHRD condemned the violence, stating: “It has come to Ministry’s notice that a group of masked people entered the JNU campus today, threw stones, damaged property and attacked students. This is very unfortunate and highly condemnable, such acts of violence and anarchy will not be tolerated.”

The office of the Indian Home Minister has made a statement on twitter which said he has met with the Delhi Police Commissioner and asked for a report into the incident to be commissioned.

Rallies, organised by the Students Federation of India and student groups, have since been held across the country, in response to what they have described as the “barbaric attack” at JNU, as well as continuing their protests against the CAA legislation.