Everybody has right to protest, but with responsibility: Jamia VC Najma Akhtar

Amid continuing protest at the Jamia Millia Islamia against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed NRC, Vice-Chancellor Najma Akhtar on Sunday said that everyone has the right to protest but one must protest "responsibly and peacefully". "Protests (against CAA and NRC) are being held across the country. Everybody has a right to protest but with a lot of responsibility and peace and that's what we are following," Najma Akhtar told ANI.

"Everybody is celebrating Republic Day today, that is their right to celebrate, they have their own way to celebrate it, it's all about Constitution," she added. On January 13, JMI Vice-Chancellor had said that Delhi Police entered the varsity campus on December 15 without permission and the process of filing an FIR against them will begin on January 14.

Akhtar's remark had come after hundreds of students entered the JMI campus and protested outside the VC's office demanding FIR against the Delhi Police for the December 15, 2019 incident. Meanwhile, JMI has now submitted a petition saying the state should be "held accountable for illegal and unlawful acts, excessive, the unnecessary force used by the police officials against the innocent protesting students".

The university's plea alleges that Delhi Police had fired teargas shells inside the campus, barged into the premises and dragged students out of the library before assaulting them during the incident. (ANI)

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