Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Tag

protest

Browsing
DUB News

Tenth Day of Turmoil in Jamia Millia Islamia Ends

By

Usually called as a politically ‘shy’ University, this Tuesday, Jamia Millia Islamia erupted with thousands of students outside the Vice Chancellor’s office which was subsequently followed by a muscle fight between the protesters and some goons, which are alleged to be hired by the administration itself.

The event raises significant questions that ought to formulate certain conjectures, but through a detailed assessment and statements from both the parties, we have tried to trace down most possible answers to these questions.

The first question that arises in our cerebral manifestations is what was the protest all about?

Apparently, yesterday on 22 October, a number of student organisations arranged a Solidarity March from the Central Canteen to VC’s Office as an extension of the 10-day long ongoing protest against the University administration which has issued a show cause notice in the name of five students of the University.

Protests in support of Palestine, outside the Edward W Said Hall, named after famous Palestinian- American Scholar Edward W Said. Credits: The Jamia Review
Protests in support of Palestine, outside the Edward W Said Hall, named after famous Palestinian- American Scholar Edward W Said.
Credits: The Jamia Review

What was it with regard to the show cause notice?

The five students who have received the show cause notice were among the 12 students who were a part of a symbolic protest probing the intrusion of an Israeli delegation that was supposed to be the country partner of ‘Global Health Zenith Confluence’19’, organized by the Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, JMI, on October 5, 2019.

According to the administration, the students were rewarded with this show cause for hampering the University’s image and vandalising in an otherwise peaceful campus with an unnecessary protest.

One of the members of the All India Students Association says as we quote,

“It is our fundamental right to express our voices and it is utter nonsense to say that we engaged in some kind of vandalism, rather it was us who were manhandled by the guards.”

What was the progression of the protest?

For past one week the All India Students Association and the Dayar-e-Shauq Student Charter, another student organisation assembled near the central canteen demonstrating their contempt regarding the administration, and demanding for a revocation of the show cause notice against the students and a total boycott of Israel.

What happened at the Solidarity March?

On the ninth day of the protest, the students planned for a peaceful protest seeking a reply from the administration regarding the show cause notice and a face-to-face talk with the vice chancellor, reportedly almost a thousand students joined the March chanting slogans of ‘Inquilab‘ and ‘Azadi‘. After a day-long protest, in the second set of the day, some 10-15 students appeared at the venue, asking the protesters to vacate the place within next 30 minutes, failing which severe repercussions may befall upon them (as reported by one of the protesters).

Subsequently, the protesters refused to withdraw the protest following which they were attacked with flower pots and which were later dragged around, creating a huge scuffle, injuring many students; one of them being Shah Alam of B.A. (Hons.) Political Science is reported to be in extremely critical condition. The varsity campus was then flooded with a Delhi Police delegation which attracted lots of eyeballs.

The students then went on to protest for the entire night and were joined by more students from all over the University in the later part of the tenth day of protest. Songs and slogans complemented the fulmination, with flags of Palestine and India being raised outside the office to signify the protest. They were also extended support by the Hon’ble MP of the Thissur Constituency, Mr. T N Prathapan, who expressed his grievances against the authority and ensured his support to the students protesting. Protest also witnessed support from the JNU General Secretary, Satish Chandra Yadav, who backed the students with his words.

Congress MP Mr T N Prathapan extending support to the protesters at Jamia Millia Islamia. Credits: The Jamia Review
Congress MP Mr T N Prathapan extending support to the protesters at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Credits: The Jamia Review

What next?

The students have now raised their demands to be fulfilled by the administration, following which they are ready to withdraw the protest and return to the classes which elsewise witnessed a boycott of classes in the University today.

The demands by the protesters include three major points which include, a withdrawal of the show cause notice against the five students, an assurance of the safety of the protesters which ensures no action to be taken against the students, and a serious action against the ‘goons’ that prompted the attack on the protesters.

What happens further is yet to be discovered but this incident has surely engaged number of students who have expressed their solidarity and support in concerning times.

Feature Image Credits: The Jamia Review

Faizan Salik
[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

Students Protest Against Non-Appointment of Hindi HOD

By

University students, teachers and admin steps out in silent protest against non-appointment of the Hindi HoD.

 

On 18th October, Friday, the administration, teachers and students of Delhi University stepped out wearing black bands in a silent protest against the delay in the appointment of the Head for the Hindi Department. The post for the same has been vacant since the 19th of September when the former head’s tenure ended. 

The absence of the HoD has led to multiple complications not only regarding issues with the researchers but also causing a delay in the announcement of dates for M.Phil and PhD admissions, despite the issue of notification.

This position has been vacant for almost a month now since two proficient members of the department- Professor Sheoraj Singh Bechain and Professor K.N. Tripathi, have demanded claim for the said post, both refusing to back off. The question of seniority arose within this given situation.

The teachers and students demanded the appointment of Professor Bechain as the new HoD. Professor Bechain is the senior-most member of the Hindi faculty. He is one of the few Dalit professors in the University of Delhi. He has written multiple books on anti-caste and Dalit literature including Samajik Nyay Aur Dalit Sahitya and Mera Bachpan Mere Kandhon Par, and has also been awarded by the Hindi Academy of both Madhya Pradesh and Delhi governments. 

It must be noted that no Dalit professor has been appointed as an HoD in the past 70 years in the Delhi University. This has given rise to numerous questions alleging the University of exercising discriminatory practices against the Dalit community. As a result, the teachers and students stepped out in a silent protest march from the Arts Faculty to the Vice Chancellor’s Office demanding appointment of Professor Bechain as HoD in “the interest of social justice”.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Aditi Gutgutia
[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
DUB Speak

Sorrow of Bihar Glooms the Capital City Patna

By

Bihar had become a drought-hit area, and then recently got flooded, receiving 10% extra rain than usual. Arguably, was this a man-made calamity more than a natural disaster? Read on to find out the Bihari diaspora’s take on it.

In hard-hit Bihar, a bird’s-eye-view of state capital Patna made the city appear like a huge lake dotted with concrete structures. Posh low-lying areas like Rajendra Nagar and Pataliputra Colony were flooded. Private hospitals, medical stores and other shops were submerged in waist-deep water. In several parts of Patna, waterlogging had thrown normal life out of gear. Although the rains have stopped now, and waterlogging has receded in most parts, a closer look reveals a bigger picture than just a natural calamity. 

Owing to unexpected and torrential rainfall of 200 mm, almost all areas of the capital of Bihar have been flooded, with water entering homes, offices and other buildings, and standing on the roads. The social media was buzzing with netizens sharing videos of the flood affected area and making satire of #HowdyModi event in which the PM said, all is fine in India. 

Flooding in the city appeared to have been caused by a choked, damaged and dysfunctional drainage system, and delayed activation of pumps at the sump houses. The floods were so severe that animal carcasses were seen on several roads.

Dinesh Mishra, a civil engineer and flooding expert, while speaking to a national daily said, “The authorities have the resources, money and workforce to arrive at a solution. However, planning of drainage systems and efficient sump machines are nowhere to be seen. Authorities have pushed the city to the edge of disaster by misusing public money. Also, now, they all come up with the excuse of ‘climate change.’”

The state of Bihar has gloomed with tragedies this year. First the encephalitis outbreak in Muzzafarpur took hundreds of life in June 2019, then drought hit severel parts of the state in early September damaging agriculture, and then the recent floods have disturbed lives of millions of people in the capital city Patna. Floods are not a rare phenomena in Bihar, the Kosi river is infamous for flooding Khagaria and northern parts of Bihar every year, but the scale and intensity of this retreating monsoon’s flood was as big as the disastrous floods of 1987 and 2004 which took 1,400 and 3,272 lives respectively.

It was not only Patna but also towns like Kaimur, Bhagalpur, Araria, Banka, Munger and Muzzafarpur that faced the wrath of this catastrophe. A more haunting statistic suggests that 494 panchayats in 15 districts were submerged in water when the flood was at its peak. The death toll neared 120 in first four days. Lack of a robust political administration seemed to have aggravated the death toll and loss due to floods.

Rahul Kumar, a student of DU hailing from Buxar says, “What I think, is that the flood is a result of mismanagement and government failure. As a Bihari, what I think is in Bihar, government officials love good flood and droughts because they get chance to make money out of it. This is a man made disaster and not only the government, but we are also fully responsible for the same.”   

Suyash Jha, a fresher from the varsity who hails from Bhagalpur says that these floods have now become a routine affair. “The compound of my grandfather’s home at VIP Road, Laheriasarai get water from overflowing drains every year for the  last 10 years now. Despite several requests to the administration to work on the drainage system in the area no real action has been taken.”

Shivam Srivastava, a third-year student was in Delhi when the unstoppable rain started in Patna on 28th September.  He says, “It was really flabbergasting to see the Chief Minister say something like ‘Yeh toh prakritik apada hai, isme hum kuch nahi karsakte,’ (This is a natural calamity, we cannot help it,).”

Feature Image Credits: Rahul Kumar

Sriya Rane 

[email protected]

Priyanshu

[email protected] 

 

Keep Reading
By
Admissions

ABVP Protests Against Nepotism in Admissions

By

ABVP protests against fraud and nepotism in the admission process of a Ph.D./M.Phil. student and violation of UGC regulations by the Department of Political Science of the University of Delhi (DU).

Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) volunteers gathered at the Faculty of Arts and marched to the Department of Political Science on 18th October, 2019, for the second day of their protest against the administration of Political Science Department for the ongoing corruption, nepotism and violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines in the admission process.

The Department of Political Science has allegedly conducted its Ph.D./ M.Phil. admissions without adherence to UGC regulations and University of Delhi statutes, resulting in favouritism and negligence of merit. ABVP has been protesting since the 17th October, 2019 against the fraud in the admission process in the Ph.D. of this Department, violation of rules and regulations of University Grant Commission, and favouritism in the admission process. According to the Press Release issued by ABVP, a group of Professors, who are ideologically intolerant of liberal ideas, they are denying admission to the meritorious students.

This protest has come after discrepancies in the 2019 admissions. Apparently, on 7th October, the list of the selected candidates was published. However, after two hours, it was removed and a new list was published. The only difference, it no longer had the name of a girl belonging to the Scheduled Castes category. The administration of the Department has not given the reasons for the removal of the name yet. Moreover, only 13 seats out of the 18 available seats were opened for admission.

Ashutosh Singh, State Media In-charge for ABVP, said to DU Beat, “We came to know through the students that the professors tend to give preference to their favourite students in the viva for the entrance exam, neglecting the ones who are also deserving. Last year it came to our notice that even the top ranking students of the entrance exam were not able to get admission after the viva. How is it possible for the top rankers to completely fail in viva?”

ABVP has asked the administration of Political Science Department seven questions regarding the inconsistencies in the admission process and has given the administration an ultimatum to answer their queries by Monday. ABVP claims to also have written letters to the Dean of Political Science Department, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi and Vice President of India for this purpose. Apart from this, the ABVP volunteers have also placed the following demands:

  1. Make admission process to M.Phil./Ph.D. fair and transparent.
  2. The admission process must be centralized and time-bound.
  3. Admission must be conducted in adherence to UGC regulations and the University of Delhi statutes.
  4. All the seats offered by DU prospectus for Ph.D. intake should be fulfilled at the earliest by all the Departments.
  5. The number of seats for the research must be increased.
  6. Social Justice must be implemented in all its constitutional and legal dimensions.
  7. The UGC prescribed 70:30 ratio of written exam to viva-voce must be implemented with all its transparency.
  8. The examination process must be student-friendly and the bureaucratic red-tapism must be curbed.
  9. Steps must be taken to curtail the influence of Teachers’ politics on the admission process.
  10. Address the grievances of those students who have been denied admission on fraudulent grounds.

Siddharth Yadav, State Secretary, ABVP Delhi, said in the Press Release, “Administration of Political Science Department should not think that yesterday we were here only for a symbolic protest, we will continue our protest till the student interests are not secured. Our protest will turn into a revolution if the administration will not listen to our demands.”

 

Featured Image Credits: University of Delhi 

Satviki Sanjay

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
News

Faculty of Law Students Complain Against the Shooting Of Web Series On Campus

By

A political drama-thriller web series by the name Tandav has come under scrutiny after students expressed their distress with the shooting interfering in their day to day college life. A letter has been sent to the Delhi University’s (DU) Registrar with respect to the same as the shooting takes place at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi.

In a strongly-worded letter by Amit Kumar Diwakar, student of the Faculty of Law, DU, on behalf of the students of the Law Faculty, brought into limelight how the shooting of a web series by director Ali Abbas Zaffar was causing great trouble to the students.

Diwakar registered a strong protest against the permission given for shooting on campus.

In his letter to the Registrar, he wrote, “…shooting for the web series… is creating a huge disturbance and affecting day to day affairs of the University including research, classes, library and movements of students in the campus”.

He also mentioned how the violation of various guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as well as the Supreme Court of India are being violated for the purpose of shooting.

He put this issue ahead as a grave matter of concern and one which requires interference of higher authorities since there has been a violation of fundamental rights such as the Right to Privacy, along with the violation of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016 since disturbance has been caused in the movement of disabled persons such as the blind students in the campus.

Noihrit Gogoi, a student at Ramjas College, DU, comments, “I believe the key term here is ‘priority’. We enrol ourselves in a University like DU to engage ourselves in and prioritise an academic environment with, of course, some extracurricular activities. When elements outside of our University like shooting for a film, barges in and interrupts our regular college activities like, even as trivial as going to the library, it compromises the said priority, and that too without our consent while subjugating the ideal environment of a university.”

“Other practical problems like common paths being blocked, disruption in classes, and how many students complained that the film crew was extremely rude and unapologetic during the shooting of Kabir Singh in DU, are always a problem,” he added.

Tandav is one of the most exciting projects taken up by director Ali Abbas Zafar for which he took a year to work upon and will mark his entry into the digital space. The series is co-written by Gaurav Solanki who penned down the well-received film Article 15 which was released earlier this year.

Tandav will be majorly shot in Delhi and is centered around the idea of power corridors of Indian Politics.

The series is set to stream after its shooting is over on Amazon Prime Video in the upcoming year.

 

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

 

Amrashree Mishra

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
News

DU Non-Teaching Staff Protest Demands Pending Promotions

By

Entering the 10th day of protest on Wednesday, 9th October 2019, many libraries and labs of several Delhi University (DU) colleges remained shut as the staff protested demanding pending promotions since the past 20-25 years. 

Outside the Arts Faculty building, flustered staff members demanded the implementation of Recruitment Rules (RR). Earlier, a draft had been made in 2018 by a Comprehensive Committee for Delhi University (Non-Teaching) Recruitment Rules (RR) according to which staff members who have been working for a long duration to be given promotion after considering their qualifications. 

Sanjay Singh, President, Delhi University Library Association said to the Millennium Post, “No promotions have taken place for the staff associated with library and labs in DU from the past 20-25 years. These people have been working in the same post for the last two decades.” Allegedly, the University aspires to fill the posts from outside, thus, they are delaying the implementation. 

Around 700-800 members from DU are yet to receive their promotions. These include library staff, lab staff, clerics, assistants and senior assistants among others. Shalu, who has worked in the fraternity over the past 30 years quoted “All we are saying is implement the RR so that the staff can get their promotion. The authorities agree with it and are not denying it, but they have still not implemented the rules.”

The decision has to be taken by Tarun Das who is presently the Registrar, at Delhi University. Lokesh Kumar, Technical Assistant at DU also quoted to the Millenium Post, “We are demanding the implementation of RR rule that was filed by the Comprehensive Committee as soon as possible.” 
Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

 

Anandi Sen

[email protected] 

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

SOL Students Strictly Oppose the Semester System

By

The students from the School of Open Learning (SOL) held a referendum against the implementation of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). Read on to know more.

The School of Open Learning (SOL) was established as a constituent college of the Delhi University (DU) in 1962, and is a pioneer in the field of distance education in India. It is one of the largest educational institutions in India, with around 5 lakh students.

SOL is a correspondence option offered to students all over the country by DU. It is a suitable alternative for people pursuing professional courses like Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretary etc. As these students require a degree but find it hard to go to college every day.

Till the last academic session, SOL had been following the annual mode of examinations. Until this July, when the University announced the introduction of CBCS, wherein exams take place each semester (every six months).

According to the students, SOL is not yet ready for the transitions. They have been protesting against this notion. The protest was led by the activists from the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS). “It should be known that implementing CBCS without discussion with the general students is not only arbitrary but is also an example of the administration’s carelessness. It should also be noted that till now more than 1.5 lakh students have already been admitted in annual mode and without any consultation, the semester system has been imposed,” read a statement issued by KYS.

As stated in a report by the Hindsutan Times, around 10,000 students participated in the aforementioned referendum, out of which 99% rejected the administration’s decision of implementing the CBCS system in SOL.

Some of the students had also indulged in a hunger strike in August. Earlier they wrote to the Ministry of Human Resource Development asking for assistance regarding the same. The students also claimed that CBCS study material has not been provided. Further, they said that no steps were taken to inform the students about the modifications in the curriculum.

Feature Image Credits: SOL Website

Avni Dhawan

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
News

Students of Hindu College Protest Against New Hostel Criteria

By

Hostel dwellers of Hindu College protested in front of the Principal’s office against the new stricter criteria of attendance and GPA to be maintained to retain hostel accommodation in the second and third year by residents.

Recently, the newly-elected Students’ Union of Hindu College, led the protest against the hostel administration, as allegedly the college administration was threatening them by making calls to their families, and disciplinary action in terms of electricity cuts was imposed on the students.

The Union claims this was a protest to demand their rights. It was also said that these stricter rules were just to discourage the students to avail hostel facilities. The students also believe that the increase in fees of hostel facilities is just to pave way for privatisation of hostel in the coming years.

Delhi University (DU) Hostel for outstation students, who cannot afford the expensive PG life that Delhi has to offer, works as a suitable alternative. However, one must question the relevance of this protest.

Two years ago, the College Hostel administration had decided that only those who get above 6.0 CGPA in the Arts stream and 6.5 in the Science stream and who have above 67 per cent attendance will be able to retain their hostel accommodation.

Last year the it had been increased from 6 to 6.5 for the Arts stream and from 6.5 to 7.0 for science stream and the attendance criteria had also been increased to 75 per cent.

Many students were affected by this criterion, as it was stricter and student weren’t made aware of this earlier. However, no immediate protest took place.

There are few arguments that show this protest as a political move than a liberal one.

A Hindu College student who lives in the boys’ hostel, under conditions of anonymity told DU Beat, “The protest is not for the rights of the students. As the students of this year were well aware of the new rules as mentioned in our undertaking. The GPA and attendance criteria were mentioned.”

The Statement of undertaking is a legal binding document that is made signed by each hostel dweller. It is done so to make the students accountable for the conditions they have agreed on to avail hostel facilities.

As all the students had signed the undertaking in their complete senses, without any use of force, their right to protest against the rules is invalid legally.

Other than this, what is more astounding is the fact that when these rules were first implemented a year back, no protest or resistance took place, neither by the hostel dwellers nor the student union. The sudden need for protest raises questions of the intention of the protest.

Whether the protest was necessary or not, one must not forget that the hostel facility is the only way many outstation students can afford to study in DU.

For the update on the protest that took place, another student in anonymity told DU Beat, “There was only one protest by the newly elected Students’ Union and the other inmates. It was just really a one-evening-thing, and was resolved (called off) when they finally discussed the issue with the Principal.”

 

 

Feature Image Credits:  Yaksh Handa for DU beat

 

Chhavi Bahmba 

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

Students Strike for Action Against Climate Change

By

This September, the youth, especially students from all over the world are organising strikes for action against climate change. Let us take a look at this movement in India.

Inspired by the sixteen-year-old Climate Change activist Greta Thunberg, the first Friday school striker who started to miss her school on Fridays and protest outside the Swedish Parliament for action against climate change, on 20th September 2019, students and adults all over the world gathered to strike for action against climate change. This strike took place ahead of the United Nations Climate Action Summit that took place on 23rd September 2019.

In India, this citizens’ movement began on 15th March 2019, when about eight hundered students gathered in solidarity for action against climate change. Bhavreen Kandhari, a social environmentalist, said, “I got a tweet from Extinction Rebellion when this global movement began asking me why the movement had not taken over Delhi, considering that it is one of the most polluted cities in the world. Slowly, awareness about the movement spread and we had our first strike during examination season, with a lot of support from many parents and schools.” People from over 85 cities and towns in India took part in the Global Climate Strike, which is going to continue till 27th September 2019.

However, considering our population, more people need to become aware of the climate crisis and join the movement for action against climate change if we want to save our planet which, according to studies, only has 11 years of sustainability left. The Government also needs to realise the reality of this crisis and take actions to save the environment. Asheer Kandhari, an active student participant of the movement, said, “Is this the kind of future our parents want to leave us, their children, with? As someone who is facing the consequences of the decisions made by the previous generations, I feel it is my duty to fight for my future and planet. I believe one needs to take a peaceful but direct and firm urgent action to seek our objective.” Aman Sharma, another student who has been very active with the climate change movement, said, “I speak for every child of India. We have come to a point where breathing air is making us sick. Air, which is supposed to be the nectar of life, is now challenging our very existence on earth. Climate change is happening all around us and we know it. Denying or ignoring this crisis situation for years has only made us lose valuable time and us kids can now see the present situation as the beginning of the end. I want the policy and decision-makers to take note that the time for action is now. My home, my city, New Delhi is set to join the list of Indian cities to have no groundwater by 2020. If little children can understand how grave the situation is and what the solutions are, I find it funny that the adults cannot. We already have all the solutions as we have the science, facts and figures we need, but we lack the will, mindset, and compassion to go with it. It is shameful that we children have to tell policy-makers how to save the planet, beg leaders to secure our future and miss school to educate them on this crisis.”

Greta Thunberg recently said that she did not want people to hope, but to panic as if their house was on fire, because it is. Climate change is as real and poisonous as the air that we breathe in Delhi. Massive action needs to be taken now, not only by world Governments and big corporations but by each and every one of us, if we want to even have hope for a greener and safer future.

Feature Image Credits: Rishabh Gogoi for DU Beat

Juhi Bhargava

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

Climate Change se Aazadi: The Delhi Chapter of the Global Climate Strike

By

On 20th September, as a part of the Global Climate Strike, organised by Fridays for Future,  hundreds came to Lodi Garden and marched towards the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change as a movement against Climate Change. 

The Global Climate Strike is an international movement against Climate Change where students in over 150 countries have mobilized themselves to raise voice against Climate Change. On 20th September, as a part of this movement, hundreds of people gathered outside Lodi Garden to march towards the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC).

The crowd gathered at the meeting point at 3 p.m. where Environment enthusiasts could be seen talking about Climate Change in front of the crowd. “We want to question the entire world. What is the world doing?”, said a passionate student on the makeshift podium.

The crowd then did an impromptu rendition of Sing for the Climate, the Climate Change Anthem, set to the tune of Bella Ciao, the famous anti-fascist anthem. It was followed by a die-in, a form of protest where the protestors lie on the ground to simulate being dead, to emphasize the harm caused by climate change.

At 3:30 pm, the march towards the Ministry began. The protestors marched down the road holding catchy posters, shouting “There is no earth B!”. While the movement was headlined by students, it was joined by people from all walks of life.

“Have you ever seen such a large group of people walking for the climate before? The climate change movement has begun, and young people are coming forward because they know it is their future. We need to save the planet, and rightly said by the activist, it’s not you or me who’s saying it, it is the scientists who are saying it.” Said Sanam, a protestor at the march.

However, the march wasn’t without roadblocks. After covering a distance of 100 metres, the police put up a barrier made of ropes and tried to stop the movement. Despite having proper permissions, the police officers asked the crowd to walk in that 100-metre space saying it is just a walk anyway. But, the enthusiasm of the crowd did not wither. On being told “humein aage nahi jaane diya ja raha hai (they aren’t letting us go further)”, the crowd replied with shouts of “jaayenge (we will go)”. The police eventually removed the barriers and the march continued to the Ministry with added vivacity.

“We are not here only based on emotions. We need data to be published by the government of India. Millions of people die in India due to pollution every year, it’s just that the government does to disclose. We are not going to sit silent. Due to this climate change, droughts and floods will increase, especially in the Indian subcontinent. Millions of people will become refugees; unemployment will increase, social unrest will increase. Enough talks have happened, enough articles have been submitted. It is time to act now… The question is what the government is doing. That is why we are standing here in front of the Ministry of environment, forestry and climate change.” Said Mr. Chitranjan Dubey, an activist present at the march, while addressing the crowd.

On reaching the Ministry, the crowd settled in front of the roadblocks set up by the police. While a few activists, went inside to meet the minister, different groups could be seen chanting slogans outside. In one corner students were sharing poetry and expressing their thoughts, while in the other they were playing music and dancing. “At the end of the day, Climate Change has still not become a priority for a lot of nations. We are hoping slowly and gradually, well, not gradually, faster, we can influence the Government”, said Vaishnavi, a student present at the march.

“This is happening around the world, and Delhi is just one bit of it. I hope we are sending our message loud and clear- we want change and change is coming.” said Nimrat, another student at the march.

However, when the activists went inside, it turned out neither Mr. Prakash Javedkar, the Minister of MOEFCC, nor Mr. Babul Supriyo, the Minister of State of MOEFCC, were present. They, then, met Ms. Richa Sharma, Joint Secretary, MOEFCC. “Agar seedhi bhaasha mein bolun to humein ek tarah se fool banadiya gaya (to be frank, they made a fool of us). Like the US, which is a country which got developed exploiting the natural resources, we should also follow the same path- This is what the Ministry is saying.” said an activist who went inside.

Jeevesh Gupta, a member from Extinction Rebellion India, in conversation with DU Beat, said, “the two movements have come together today – Extinction Rebellion India and Fridays for Future – because the goal is common. We just went inside the ministry, but both the ministers were not here. We met the Joint Secretary. They did not commit anything. They took the letter from us addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and said they would speak to the minister- We don’t think anything will happen. But we would keep fighting for this and we would come back again, very soon.”

However, the energy of the crowd did not ebb. The activists were met with cheers despite the ministry’s response. “What I really want to say is that this energy is really amazing and what we are doing right now is something that we have never done before. What we need to do now is come in more numbers and do the strikes more often. Iske baad hum fir aayenge, har mahine aayenge, har week aayenge! (We will keep coming, every month, every week)” said the activists.

Feature Image Credits: Rishabh Gogoi for DU Beat

Satviki Sanjay

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By