‘Delhi police can’t escape accountability,’ says assaulted NSUI activist from Kerala

New Delhi: A brutal assault by Delhi police during a flash protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Connaught Place has left Athira Vijayan, a native of Pullaloor in Kozhikode, with impaired hearing in her right ear. However, the Malayali law student and NSUI activist vows to keep questioning a government that refuses to lend an ear to its people, saying the injury will not silence her.

Thousands of people were taken into custody. Why did the police single out some for assault?
The police brutally assaulted me and Rithu Barala, who was with me, because we questioned their illegal actions. We asked why there were no women police personnel when we were being detained. The police then called three women officers from the station and assaulted us. They dragged us along the road to the police station, shouting, “You were the ones demanding women police officers. Are we enough?” They also kicked us, including in our private parts.

You have suffered serious injuries. Will you take a break from the protest?
The doctor has advised me to take complete rest. But I know this is no time to lie in bed. I will return to the protest site as soon as I recover.

What did Rahul Gandhi tell you?
He asked me what I had learnt from the experience. His words that the government suppresses protesters only when they fight for justice strengthened my resolve. He told me to remain at the forefront of the protest and not to back down. He patted me on the shoulder to comfort me, assuring me that we would achieve our goal.

You have chosen the Congress despite coming from an RSS family background. How did your family react?
Shafi Parambil MP personally visited my house to inform my family about the assault. My father has not spoken to me yet, while my mother has urged me to return home as soon as possible. But I cannot go home with my face still swollen from the assault. It was Rahul Gandhi’s political style that drew me to the Congress.

What do you have to say to the Delhi police personnel responsible for this violence?
You are beating up the next generation on the streets. Many police personnel do not even know why they are assaulting us. They are blindly following orders. If this continues, we will not remain silent spectators. We will make the police realise that the country’s legal institutions are more powerful than the police. We will ensure that the Delhi police never do this to anyone else again.