“The Congress condemns the barbaric and inhuman attack in Patiala House Court yesterday (Monday) on journalists, young students and teachers by BJP goons led by their MLA O.P. Sharma”.
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Jawaharlal University Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested and has been positioned beneath police custody. The journalists have sought appointment with Home Minister Rajnath Singh to complaint against the assault on media personnel by lawyers and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists.
After Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on Friday following a demonstration that authorities termed “anti-Indian”, a large number of students joined the protest, bringing the functioning of the prestigious university to standstill.
Nadeem Ahmad Kazmi, Secretary General of Press Club of India, said the Supreme Court registrar told them Chief Justice of India T S Thakur will meet a delegation of journalists in a few days.
“We raised the issue of Rohith committing suicide in Hyderabad allegedly due to undue pressure put on him by the university administration”, Azad said.
“Security of the people going to the court needs to be ensured by the Supreme Court”, he said.
“Even women journalists were not spared”, the memorandum stated. They also complained that police remained “silent spectators” during the assault and asked Singh to fix accountability on the men in uniform.
“It is a matter of concern that the Delhi Police Commissioner has dismissed the incident describing it as a scuffle”.
“This petition merely seeks to assure safety of the accused, their relatives, friends, lawyers and journalists while discharging their legal as well as professional obligations”, the plea said, adding that “the surcharged and vicious atmosphere” in the Court premises would come in the way of the fundamental right of the accused for a fair trial. “Such observations will encourage only those elements who already believe that they are above the law of the land”.
More than a dozen journalists were set upon by lawyers who prevented them in the discharge of their duties.
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“Despite this assurance, aggressive protests and student unrest in Delhi, in particular at JNU, is apprehended, since the arrest of JNUSU president may aggravate resentment not only among Left supported student groups but also among entire students and teachers in various educational institutions”, the report said.
