Services on the busy Yellow Line came to a standstill when several of the members climbed down on metro tracks.
NSUI (National Students’ Union of India), Monday blocked the metro tracks at North Campus’ Vishwavidyalya station, protesting the incessant hike in metro fares. Several members of the Union protested, and the trains were stopped for 30 minutes.
The students raised slogans against Narendra Modi, and Arvind Kejriwal alike, claiming that the government at the State, as well as the Centre, do nothing but pass the blame on each other.
They are also protesting for the introduction for a students’ pass for the metro, as is the case with DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation).
The Delhi Congress then tweeted a video of the same protest and stating that NSUI’s Delhi President, Akshay Lakra led the group, and expressed the party’s support to the cause of their youth-wing. “They (the governments at the Centre and the State) have been a failure in handling the Delhi Metro and now they are inaugurating the Ahmedabad Metro,” Lakra held, “Until the approval is given for metro passes, the NSUI will keep protesting.”
Delhi NSUI in demand of the DU Students Metro Pass protested under the leadership of Delhi President Akshay Lakra in front of Vishvidhyalaya Metro Station & expressed their agitation by jumping in front of the Metro Train,Delhi NSUI has been opposing the increase in Metro Fares pic.twitter.com/DRRwKRwPWQ
— Delhi Congress (@INCDelhi) March 4, 2019
Even last year, NSUI had protested in a similar fashion to press for their demands. The members were later removed from the tracks and handed over to the police, and the train services restored.
Thirteen protesters were detained and brought to Kashmere Gate Metro police station. A case was registered against the members of the Congress’ student wing under relevant sections of the DMRC Act, 2002 and the hearing will take place in the Tis Hazari court on March 6, police confirmed.
When asked about the method of the protest, and the inconvenience caused, the NSUI said, “Our protest is peaceful and disciplined and we are waiting for a response from the authority. We have been trying to get in touch with Kailash Gehlot, the transport minister, and his refusal in meeting us forced us to take this step.”
Speaking to DU Beat, NSUI Media Secretary, Saimon Farooqui said that NSUI’s protest against the rising price of metro and demand for metro fare concession passes is a cause that will benefit the Delhi University student community. “We will continue our fight and protest again if the government does not fulfil our demands,” he added.
(With inputs from the Indian Express)
Image Credits: DU Beat archives
Maumil Mehraj
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