ABVP demands action within 48 hours over police lathi-charge on students in UP's Barabanki

Lucknow, Sep 4 (PTI) Days after police clashed with students at a university in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki, the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Thursday alleged "outsiders" were involved in the incident and demanded punitive action against the accused within 48 hours. The outfit reminded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of his "mafia ko mitte me mila denge" (will crush the mafia) statement and demanded a similar type of action against "education mafias".

Videos have emerged online showing baton-wielding police personnel on Monday confronting demonstrators on the campus of Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University.

The protesting students have accused the university of jeopardising their future by enrolling them in a programme that did not have recognition from the Bar Council of India.

Addressing a press conference here, ABVP leaders termed the incident a "blatant assault on democratic values" and warned of a statewide agitation if their demands were not met.

ABVP workers will stage demonstrations across all district centres of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, they said.

"The ABVP has always worked to resolve students' issues and create a positive academic atmosphere on campuses. We strongly condemn the brutal lathi-charge on our workers and demand the strictest action against the police personnel involved," said ABVP national secretary Ankit Shukla.

He alleged that the law course at the university was being run illegally for years without renewal or approval, and only received provisional permission from the Bar Council of India on Wednesday.

"Action must be taken on the FIR lodged by the UP Higher Education Council against the university administration. The illegal encroachment of six bighas of government land and the tehsildar court's penalty order of Rs 27.96 lakh must be enforced.

"We demand that bulldozers be used to raze the illegal construction. If our demands are ignored, we will be compelled to launch a massive statewide movement," Shukla said.

Reminding Adityanth of his "mitti me mila denge" comments about mafia in the state, he said, "The chief minister has crushed the mafia in Uttar Pradesh, and we are hopeful that the education mafia will also be dealt with in the same way." Following the murder of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj, in which Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were involved, Adityanath had said in the Assembly that his government would crush the mafia ("Mafia ko mitti me mila denge").

The ABVP's list of demands includes registering cases against the police personnel and alleged outsiders involved in the clash, a probe into the irregularities in law courses, action against university authorities for illegal practices, and removal of encroachments. PTI ABN ABN APL NSD NSD