Hundreds protest JNU violence at Gateway of India

Hundreds of students from various organisations, NGOs and prominent personalities staged a sit-in protest on Monday at the iconic Gateway of India, to condemn the Sunday hooliganism in Jawaharlal Nehru University campus in New Delhi.

The students carried the Indian Tricolour, banners and posters expressing solidarity with the JNU students and professors, and condemned the violence indulged in by masked attackers.

Joining the protest, senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad slammed the ruling BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and said attempts are being made to "destroy democracy in India".

"JNU violence is (Amit) Shah-sponsored terrorism. The country condemns this barbaric act. It's nice to see that Modi and Shah are scared of only one thing, that's the intellect in JNU," Awhad said.

Besides, protests were held near the IIT Bombay campus in Powai, at the FTII campus in Pune, with the student raising slogans demanding action against those indulging in the atrocities against the students and professors in JNU.

Several political leaders from the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi have slammed the violence against the JNU students-teachers and demanded stringent action against the perpetrators.

Terming it as "a planned attack", Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar said the students and professors were subjected to a cowardly attack.

"I strongly condemn this undemocratic act of vandalism and violence. Use of violent means to suppress democratic values and thought will never succeed," Pawar said.

Maharashtra Congress President and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat flayed the "brutal violence unleashed by the goons of ABVP" inside the JNU.

"This is sheer hooliganism, they are ransacking property and harming people. I demand that the attackers should be brought to book immediately," Thorat said.

Shiv Sena leader and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said that the violence and brutality faced by the students while protesting is worrisome.

"Be it Jamia, JNU, students mustn't face brutal force. Let them be! These goons must face action. They must be brought to time-bound and swift justice," Aaditya Thackeray demanded.

Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik strongly condemned the JNU violence and demanded strict action against the culprits.

"Hostels are being attacked. Students and staff are being beaten up. Police is not acting to protect them. BJP's politics is playing with the future of the country," Malik said.

Monday's protest was a continuation of the demonstrations which started at Sunday midnight at the Gateway of India in Mumbai and Pune.

Later, more protests are planned in different parts of the state on Monday afternoon, including at the University of Mumbai, Pune University and Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya in Wardha.