New Delhi: The brutal assault on students by police in Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University campuses for protesting against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act seems to have opened the Pandora's box to more vehement demonstrations by the student community.
Students across the country from institutions including JNU, 3 IITs, IIM Ahmedabad, Banaras Hindu University, Jadavpur University and CUSAT have united to express solidarity with the Jamia students.
Nearly 60 people, including students, policemen and fire fighters were injured on Sunday after protestors clashed with police in New Friends' Colony near Jamia Millia Islamia during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act. Police used batons and teargas shells to disperse the violent mob, but denied firing at them.
Entry and exit gates at two more metro stations in central Delhi were closed on Monday in view of protests in the city, taking the number of metro stations closed to six.
"Entry and exit gates of Lok Kalyan Marg and Janpath are closed. Trains will not be halting at these stations," Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) tweeted.
Kerala Governor faces protest at CUSAT
The Kerala wing of DYFI organised a statewide protest march on Sunday night against the police action on the students of Jamia and AMU.
Political parties including SDPI and the Welfare Party gave a shutdown call and it brought left and the Congress together in its opposition against the CAA.
Meanwhile, newly appointed Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had to face protests on Sunday night when angry student and youth wings of both the CPI-M and the Congress marched to his official residence in the state capital.
On Monday, the governor, who came for the meeting with vice-chancellors of all universities of the state at CUSAT, was blocked by the students at the university's entrance gate.
Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, who was on way to Lakshadweep, also faced the wrath of the protesters in Kochi. The protesters waved black flags as she moved to the airport. The police took into custody a few protesters.
IIM Ahmedabad students protest
Students from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad took out a march in solidarity with students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University protesting against the police crackdown and the controversial CAA.
Scores of students joined the march from the IIMA campus. "To hear the soul, the sound has to be very loud," read a placard held by students.
3 IITs to protest on Tuesday
Students from three prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) joined the chorus against the police crackdown on the Jamia Millia Islamia and the Aligarh Muslim University students.
The premiere institutions -- IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras and IIT Bombay -- are not the regular ones to join protests and usually stay away from agitations.
"They struck down the students' retaliation at Jadavpur University. We didn't respond. They hiked the MTech fee, we didn't respond. Manhandled the student protesters at JNU, we didn't respond. And now its JMI and AMU. Our commitment towards the students' community is under huge jeopardy if we don't respond now. Therefore let's come together for a campus wide march in solidarity with students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University," a poster by students from IIT Kanpur read.
The students have called for a campus-wide march on Tuesday.
JNU expresses solidarity
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students joined their compatriots in Jamia outside the police headquarters at Delhi's ITO on Sunday night to protest the alleged police assault on students at the Jamia campus earlier in the day.
DU students boycott exams, hold protests
Several Delhi University students on Monday boycotted exams and held protests to express solidarity with students of Jamia Millia and AMU protesting against the amended Citizenship Act following which heavy force was deployed at the Arts Faculty.
Sources said students from the English department of the varsity had written to their professors on Sunday night to postpone exams owing to the situation in Jamia but their request could not be considered.
At the Delhi University, students alleged that police cracked down on peacefully protesting students who boycotted exams.
However, a senior police officer said some students were stopping others from taking exams and police were there keeping a watch.
AMU shut till Jan 5
The Aligarh Muslim University has been shut down till January 5 after violence erupted in the university late on Sunday night.
AMU students mounted a violent protest against the police crackdown on students in Jamia Milia in Delhi and at least 60 were injured in the clashes.
A mob set afire a police post and targeted some vehicles at Kargil Chowk, in Bihar's capital Patna on Sunday.
Protests in Hyderabad, Kolkata
Protest also erupted on the campus of Moulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), in Hyderabad on Sunday night, against the police 'brutality' on students of the Jamia.
Banaras Hindu University, Kolkata's Jadavpur University also witnessed protests against the police action in Jamia.
Parents come out in support
Parents and local guardians on Monday came out in support of students protesting outside the Jamia Millia University.
A group of around 50 women, including students and their family members, demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah resign in the wake of police atrocities inflicted on students on Sunday.
"My name is not important, my voice is. We are not going to back out. Our sisters and brothers were pulled by their hair and dragged on streets. Their clothes were torn and they were left for dead.
"This is not Palestine. We won't give up until Amit Shah resigns," said a female student, who did not wish to be identified.
The women held up bangles and asked the Delhi police to wear them.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS.)
