NEW DELHI, April 20 -- The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) has condemned the arrest of several student activists, including JNU scholar Akhilesh Yadav, describing it as an "attack on democratic dissent" and demanding their immediate release.
In a statement, the union expressed solidarity with those detained - Rahul Singh Kajla, Deependra Dwivedi, Satyam Kushwaha and Neeraj - who were reportedly protesting against remarks made about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by journalist Ashok Srivastava of Doordarshan News.
JNUSU alleged that the arrests reflect a pattern of suppressing dissent through "intimidation, detention and legal harassment". It cited earlier incidents, including the incarceration of the "JNU-14" during protests against the UGC Equity Bill and the Rohith Act, as part of a broader clampdown on student activism.
The union warned that police action against peaceful protesters risks creating a climate of fear and undermines democratic accountability. It stressed that disagreement and critique are essential to public discourse. Calling for accountability, JNUSU urged authorities to prioritise dialogue over force and reiterated its demand for the immediate release of all detained activists. mpost
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.