JNU: Demolition of ex-student's house triggers protests in Delhi; students gather at Jantar Mantar

As the demolition drive continues in Uttar Pradesh over the Prayagraj violence, students of Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) staged a demonstration against the UP government's move at Jantar Mantar on the evening of June 13, Monday. The protest was chiefly aimed against the demolition of Javed Ahmad's house in Ranchi. Javed Ahmad is the father of Afreen Fatima who is a former JNU student, activist and leader.

The students have alleged that the demolitions initiated by the government are illegal and they needed to stop. Members of different student unions of Delhi, like the All India Students' Association (AISA), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) took part in the protests. "More than 100 students had taken part in the protest today," said  AISA Working General Secretary Prasenjeet Kumar, while returning from the protest as stated in a press release from them.

He also informed that the demonstration began around 4:30 pm and ended around 6:30 pm. According to a statement released by AISA, Kumar said, "AISA extends utmost solidarity to the family of Afreen and condemns the vicious demolition of the homes of many Muslim families like hers. We demand immediate termination of the police personnel who killed the youth protesters in Ranchi." The statement from them also mentions that at the protest, AISA Delhi President Abhigyan said, "This spectacle of the bulldozer that the BJP wishes to create and spew venom in society will be defeated by people's unity. We want to tell the majority that the bulldozer is also being run onto their livelihoods and conscience," 

Meanwhile, a press release by KYS states, "KYS strongly condemns these illegal and communal demolition drives and demands that the civic bodies and officials responsible for this drive must be immediately sacked and booked for promoting enmity between people. The attack on the socio-economically vulnerable sections of minority groups must be resolutely resisted by building wider solidarities within the labouring masses beyond the polarisation of caste, community and creed. The demolition of properties must be strongly condemned."

The Delhi police had cracked down on the protests and the students were detained. "Most of us were detained at the site. Only after we released everyone from the police custody, we returned," Prasenjeet said and added, "All the detained students have now been released by the police." He further stated, "We condemn this action. We have demanded that the people whose houses have been demolished from Allahabad to Kanpur must be reimbursed and their houses must be re-assembled by the government. Moreover, the UP government should stop this demolition drive immediately." This was mentioned in a statement put out by them.

AISA had staged a protest earlier regarding this issue on June 12, Sunday, at the Sabarmati Dhaba inside the JNU campus. Another demonstration was held by the members of the Jawaharlal Nehru Students' Union (JNUSU) on June 13 in front of the UP Sadan in Delhi.