A day when the entire country was observing the Martyrs’ Day to remember the father of the nation, Mahatama Gandhi who was assassinated on January 30, 1948, a young man brandishing a pistol emerged at Jamia Millia Islamia University, where students were peacefully protesting against controversial C.A.A and shot a student in his left arm. Though the attacker was arrested immediately, but Delhi police has again come under severe criticism for not acting promptly. The visuals of the incident suggest that while the youth was brandishing pistol police showed no urgency despite the fact the protesting students were requesting police, that was standing just a few yards from the place of incidence, to intervene. The police acted only after he fired towards the students injuring a student, Shadab in his left arm. Shadab, a student from Bhaderwah area of Jammu and Kashmir, is studying mass communication. The attacker was arrested and Shadab was shifted to AIMS where he was operated upon. Thankfully he is safe and has been discharged from the hospital.
The attack has generated a debate all over with a dominant narrative that attack was triggered by the polarized atmosphere created in Delhi ahead of assembly elections. Two BJP leaders, while campaigning, made provocative speeches targeting a particular community and tried to demonise th peaceful anti C.A.A. protests that had been going on in Shaheen Bagh and have attracted national as well as international attention. It may be recalled here that a few days back a man was spotted in Shaheen Bagh carrying a pistol. He however managed to flee the scene.
That the attack at Jamia took place on the day when Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 is a sad commentary on India’s contemporary politics. The man who stood for non violence all his life and defeated the might British with his non violence, his country today is becoming violent, polarized and is being divided among “we” and “them”. This is a dangerous trend which goes against India’s centuries old culture and tradition of peace, harmony and equality. It is duty of the police to investigate the Jamia fring case transparently and expose the forces behind such elements who are driven by politics of hate.
