The gatherings in Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University come amid the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act led by students.
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap visited Jamia Millia Islamia on Friday and asked protesters to “continue with their protests with a smile.” Addressing the crowd, he said, “Continue your struggle with a smile no matter how much they provoke you because they don’t understand the language of empathy and love. These peaceful protests scare them.”
Kashyap, who has shown solidarity towards the anti-CAA protests on Twitter, said, “I have come here for the first time but I read the stories and watch videos about Jamia. Many people are supporting you silently even if they are not able to come here.” When questioned if these were Bollywood celebrities, Kashyap said, “They are from all over the world, including Bollywood.” The 47-year-old filmmaker asked protesters to “be patient as the fight to reclaim the constitution and the country is going to be a long one”.
In another part of the capital, stand-up comics and artists — including Ratna Pathak Shah, Varun Grover, and Aditi Mittal — gathered in JNU to comment on the ongoing protests in the country and other issues, including the university’s hostel fee hike agitation.
“It is good to remind oneself of the ideals we grew up with. The protests do that as well, apart from talking about the troubles in the country,” said Shah, who recited the piece Hindustan Chhod Do by Ismat Chughtai.
In Delhi University, members of different students’ outfits came together under the banner of Young India and led a rally “to spread love in the time of hatred” as a part of their event “Love is the revolution.” They expressed solidarity with students of Gargi College who were allegedly harassed by outsiders on February 6 in their college.
No Puja at Hindu
Meanwhile, Delhi University’s Hindu College on Friday abstained from the customary ‘Virgin Tree Puja’, which is organised every year on February 14, the college said. Principal Anju Shrivastava said after consultation with students, the college decided to “transform the event” into an inclusive one and avoid “objectification of women.”
Some students, however, claimed that a group of students did conduct a puja. “There was a commotion when someone tried to take off posters from the tree. It is during this time the puja was done. We only got to know later in the evening. We are planning to approach the administration and ask for an action against this,” said Anna TM, an undergraduate student. Principal Shrivastava said nothing was conveyed to her about the puja.
Prasanta Patnaik