After several masked goons broached Delhi's Jawaharlal University campus, assaulting students and vandalising property, several top political leaders took to social media to share videos of the attack and condemn it. Several students, including Aishe Ghosh, the head of JNU Students' Union or JNUSU and several professors were severely injured in the attack. The JNUSU claims the Delhi police "did nothing" to stop the violence and have alleged the involvement of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad or ABVP, the student body linked to the BJP, in the attack.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, urging the Delhi Police to "immediately stop violence and restore peace". "How will the country progress if our students will not be safe inside univ campus?" he added.
I am so shocked to know abt the violence at JNU. Students attacked brutally. Police shud immediately stop violence and restore peace. How will the country progress if our students will not be safe inside univ campus?
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 5, 2020
In another tweet, Mr Kejriwal said he has spoken to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, adding that Mr Baijal was moitoring the situation closely.
Spoke to Hon'ble LG and urged him to direct police to restore order. He has assured that he is closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps https://t.co/gpRGCCbwGF
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 5, 2020
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, condemning the attack, saying "the fascists in control of our nation, are afraid of the voices of our brave students".
The brutal attack on JNU students & teachers by masked thugs, that has left many seriously injured, is shocking.
- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 5, 2020
The fascists in control of our nation, are afraid of the voices of our brave students. Today's violence in JNU is a reflection of that fear.
#SOSJNU pic.twitter.com/kruTzbxJFJ
The Congress, in its official Twitter handle, also condemned the attacks, saying it was a "direct result of the BJP govt's divisive politics".
We strongly condemn the attacks taking place in JNU.
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 5, 2020
This kind of violence is a direct result of the BJP govt's divisive politics and its failure in protecting students & our democracy from persistent attacks.
Why is the Police doing nothing to protect students? #SOSJNU https://t.co/sLz5xOHwZx
Senior Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor, P Chidambaram and Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted over the attack, with Mr Chidambaram and Mr Surjewala claiming alleged inaction on the part of the police. Mr Chidambaram also said the violence "is an act of impunity and can only happen with the support of the government".
If it is happening on live TV, it is an act of impunity and can only happen with the support of the government.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 5, 2020
This is beyond belief.
Enmity of Modi Govt to JNU is well known.
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) January 5, 2020
Delhi Police is at the gate of JNU.
Despite this, goondas brandishing lathis & rids beat up students and teachers in Sabarmati & other hostels.
Is this state sponsored mayhem being unleashed?#SOSJNU https://t.co/kCz9rq4VnM
Mr Tharoor claimed the attack on the students were "tactics from Germany in the 1930s, not India in 2020".
This is unbelievable. These are tactics from Germany in the 1930s, not India in 2020. I implore the authorities to stop this. They are destroying Indian democracy as well as what remains of our nation's image in the democratic world. #StopJNUAssaultsNow! https://t.co/wuEih3fRn9
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 5, 2020
Senior CPM leader Sitaram Yechury tweeted alleging "collusion between the administration and goons of ABVP to inflict violence on students and teachers". Mr Yechury also shared a video of Ms Ghosh, the president of JNUSU, who has been taken to AIIMS.
Reports coming from JNU point to a collusion between the administration and goons of ABVP to inflict violence on students and teachers. It is a planned attack by those in power, which is afraid of the resistance provided by JNU to its Hindutva agenda.
- Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) January 5, 2020
JNU Professor Atul Sood, speaking to NDTV, said that the mob threw "big stones that could have broken our skulls", adding that he say cars, including his, vandalised.
The mob which assaulted Jawaharlal Nehru University students is said to number around 50. The university is currently under lockdown and its gates have been sealed.
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