Delhi Police Prevents DU Campus Protest, Dr. Ritu Singh and Supporters Detained

New Delhi - As the turn from Vishwavidyalaya metro station towards Chhatra Marg was made to reach Dr. Ritu Singh’s protest site inside the Delhi University campus, an uncanny silence welcomed visitors. Absent were the usual sloganeering or chants of ‘Jai Bhim’, which used to be distinguishing features of the dismissed teacher’s demonstrations. Even before reaching gate no. 4 of Art’s Faculty where the demonstration was slated to start, multiple police personnel and police buses were detaining anyone who wanted to stand in solidarity with Dr. Ritu Singh.

Dr. Ritu Singh's ongoing protest against alleged casteism, particularly against Principal Savita Roy of Daulat Ram College, took a concerning turn last month when the Delhi University authorities responded with controversial measures. The protest, which gained momentum amid violence and vandalism, confronted many challenges, including the locking of university gates, the purification of the protest site with Gangajal and detainments of activists and supporters.

On Tuesday, as The Mooknayak tried to approach the protest site, the team was stopped by a man in Khaki. “You cannot go any further,” he said. Being a media person held no value to him. “You either take a step back or join the detainees in one of the buses,” stated the policeman.

When asked why a journalist cannot take a few pictures to document the process, the scribe met with another stern warning. At 10:00 AM, Dr. Ritu Singh, Ashutosh Boddh, and other demonstrators attempted to approach the site by car via Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, but they were stopped. Hundreds of protestors were detained.

Some were even dragged by their feet to be forcefully boarded onto buses. Through social media, it was later revealed that Dr. Ritu Singh too was detained. She was taken to Maurice Nagar police station. Police also detained 'Bahujan poet' Abhishek Kumar Jatav. In a warning tone Jatav said to the cops, "Don't misbehave, time will change ..."

Addressing citizens through X (formerly Twitter), Singh said, “We are not being taken inside the station nor are we being let go. Hundreds and thousands of police forces have cordoned off the north campus.” The dismissed teacher continued, “But the time for the Inqilab of Ambedkar and Ambedkarwad has come. This movement will not stop until the convict is arrested. The police have to arrest Principal Savita Roy of Daulat Ram College because that is how the rules and regulations of the constitution function.”

With an undeterred voice, Singh further remarked, “Ladenge Bhima Koregaon Ke Tarah, Padenge Bhim Rao Ke Tarah (We will fight like Bhima Koregaon and fall like Bhim Rao).” It was also revealed that some demonstrators were singled out and taken to Jaffarpur Kalan police station, which is far from Maurice Nagar police station where others are detained. There, they were made to stand in a line to be counted while being verbally abused. A fellow protestor who was able to save themselves from detainment later revealed the kind of fear they felt. They said, “It felt very dehumanizing. I do not think a protest where the majority is from the upper caste will face such abusive handling as Ritu Singh’s protests go through.” A local stall owner opened up about the police deployment on the site. He revealed to The Mooknayak, “the police have been here since the morning and have been picking demonstrators in batches.” He added, “the police say section 144 has been imposed here so they are not letting anyone stand here.”

“There was a violent attack yesterday, maybe a larger number of police have been deployed keeping the attack in mind,” added the stall owner. He was referring to the assault of Ashutosh Boddh, the president of Bhim Army Student Federation who used to stand along with the former ad-hoc professor during her protests. Taking to social media, Dr. Ritu Singh had alleged on 5th January that “RSS-affiliated goons attacked Ashutosh while claiming no number of protests could make any difference.” The same post alleged that the attack took place around 6:00 PM near gate no. 4 Arts Faculty where the goons threw boiling tea on the Dalit student leader. He has sustained multiple injuries and burns due to the abuse. A complaint has been filed at Maurice Nagar Police Station on Tuesday.