Detained at home during PM’s DU visit, say AISA activists

The All India Students Association, a Left students outfit, has alleged that two student activists were detained by the police for three hours – at their residence near the Delhi University’s North Campus – during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the varsity for the closing day of its centenary celebrations.

Several Delhi University colleges had issued certain guidelines in the wake of the visit on Friday, such as no black dresses, compulsory attendance, and suspension of classes from 10 am to 12 pm. A notice by the Hindu College said students who attend the event will get attendance equivalent to five classes while institutes such as Ramjas, Miranda and Kirorimal Colleges said attendance was not mandatory.

Meanwhile, AISA’s Delhi president and Ramjas College student Abhigyan, who was allegedly detained during the PM’s visit, claimed that the police personnel outside their house had cited suspicion as the basis of detention and that they were “unaware of any order or warrant”. The outfit’s DU secretary Anjali asked why PM Modi is so “afraid” of us.

A letter signed by AISA functionaries, sent to the SDM, DCP (North) and Model Town police station house officer, sought to know the reasons behind the “illegal” detention.

AISA was not the only outfit that alleged police action. 

JNU SFI leader Aishe Ghosh alleged that she got a call from the police asking whether her outfit was protesting against the prime minister’s visit.

The Model Town police station house officer Lalit Kumar has denied all the allegations.

The university did not witness any protests though several teachers and students raised objections to the PM’s visit on social media platforms, asking about steps taken by the government to safeguard academic autonomy and questioning the centre’s “silence” on the situation in  Manipur.

Miranda House professor Abha Dev Habib said the police are deployed against students “when they raise important issues such as fees and discrimination. The incident involving the AISA students is highly regrettable.”

Meanwhile, addressing the event at the university on Friday, PM Modi shared his experience of travelling in a metro and laid the foundation stone of the Delhi University Computer Centre and the faculty of technology building and the academic block which will be set up in the North Campus.