NEW DELHI – Jamia Teachers Association on Friday blamed BJP MP Anurag Thakur for the firing incident outside the varsity, saying nothing can be more “anti-national” than a minister inciting citizens to indulge in violence from a public platform.
The teachers’ body also appealed to the protesters at Shaheen Bagh to allow passage of traffic on one side of the road as an act of “civic responsibility” and “sensitivity”.
During an election rally held earlier, Thakur egged on the crowd to raise an incendiary slogan — “shoot the traitors” — after he lashed out at anti-CAA protesters.
On Thursday, protestors and police personnel faced off against each other near the Jamia Millia Islamia after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring a student before walking away while waving the firearm over his head shouting “Yeh lo Aazadi”.
“We are convinced that this shooting, which could have been fatal, was the direct result of the call to ‘goli maro’ or ‘shoot’ by an elected Member of Parliament who is also the country’s Minister of State for Finance.
“Nothing can be more anti-national than a Minister inciting citizens to violence from a public platform, and we severely condemn his words and action,” JTA said in a statement following a general body meeting called to discuss the situation in the varsity.
It also appreciated the restraint shown by the students after the incident.
“Given that this elected representative violated both our constitution and law by exhorting the public to violence, we acknowledge and record our appreciation of the restraint shown by our students in the face of the grave provocation of their batchmate being injured in a shooting before their very eyes.
“It is a shame and irony that the cult of the bullet continues to predominate the national discourse in the world’s largest democracy,” it added.
Condemning the firing, the JTA said the unprovoked firing was under the eyes of Delhi police whose men looked on casually while the bullet was fired and only one uniformed policeman walked over to gently guide the shooter away from the students.
“We also appeal to our fellow citizens at Shaheen Bagh to allow the passage of traffic on one side of the road. It would be an act of civic responsibility and sensitivity, and also a gesture of facilitation to all whose destinations would be easier to access,” the JTA said.
Injured J&K Student Discharged
Jamia Millia student Shahdab Farooq, who suffered injuries after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters outside the university, was discharged from AIIMS on Friday morning.
Al-Ameen, a student of Jamia’s Mass Communication department and Farooq’s friend, said he was discharged from the hospital around 8 am.
“His father reached Delhi on Thursday night, but Shahdab won’t go back home in J&K. He will stay at the university,” Al-Ameen said.
Farooq underwent a surgery at the hospital, he said.
Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar on Thursday after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring mass communications student Farooq, before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting “Yeh lo Azadi” amid heavy police presence in the area.
Farooq, who received bullet wound on his left hand, was admitted to AIIMS. No injury to blood vessels or nerves were sustained, a doctor said.
Juvenile Board Sends Shooter To 14-Day Protective Custody
The youth who fired a pistol at a group of anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protesters near the Jamia Millia University, in which a student was injured, was sent to a 14-day protective custody by the Juvenile Justice Board on January 31, police said.
The shooter was presented before the Board in the afternoon, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Deo said.
The police said they have also urged the Board to form a medical panel to conduct a bone ossification test that will verify the age of the youth.
On January 30, the shooter fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring Jamia student Shadab Farooq, before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting “Yeh lo Azadi” amid heavy police presence. The Crime Branch is probing the case.
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