Students, activists demand justice for missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed
New Delhi(PTI): Students and activists on Friday gathered here to demand justice for Jawaharlal Nehru University student Najeeb Ahmed, who went missing five years ago.
Ahmed went missing on October 15, 2016, allegedly after an altercation with some members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). On Friday, the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) held 'Justice for Najeeb Conference' to mark five years of his disappearance.
Nadeem Khan, Convenor, United Against Hate, said that despite so many protests across the country, Najeeb Ahmed has not found justice.
"I don't think there have been as many protests in anyone else's case as in Najeeb's case. It is clear that if you are a Muslim then you cannot get justice. As long as discrimination against Muslims continues in universities, Najeeb's movement will continue," he added.
Snehashish Das, General Secretary of Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) and a student of JNU said, "Najeeb was a simple and a sincere Muslim student. But being a Muslim is enough to make you disappear in India. In this country, pre-planned violence is perpetrated against Muslims and then a narrative is built that these people themselves are responsible for the violence."
Sadat Hussain, a research scholar at JNU, called for a mechanism to ensure the safety of students from the minority community.
"Najeeb's struggle is not a struggle of our victimhood but it is to ensure that such an incident never happens again. While there is a mechanism in every university to prevent raging, there must also be a mechanism for the safety of Muslim students on campus," he said.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union took out a 'Mashaal Juloos' inside the campus and sought answers on his disappearance. The march started from Ganga Dhaba and culminated at the Chandrabhaga hostel.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
DK Shivakumar rejects reports about meeting Obama, Kamala Harris, says US visit is purely personal
Bengaluru, Sep 8: Rejecting reports that he was travelling to the United States of America to meet some top leaders there, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday clarified that it was purely a personal visit with the family.
The DCM has also released to the media a letter that he wrote to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, regarding his visit to the USA.
"I am travelling to the USA (from today) along with my family till September 15. The media reports that I am meeting former US President Barack Obama and US Vice-President Kamala Harris (who is also contesting upcoming Presidential polls there) are incorrect. It is a personal visit," he clarified in a press statement.
"As I have already informed (you), I will be proceeding to Washington on 8th September 2024 evening on a private visit and I will be back on 16th September 2024. This is for your kind information," Shivakumar said in the letter to Kharge.
ALSO READ: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar warns officials of action if potholes in B'luru not filled within deadline
Earlier in the day, Shivakumar speaking to reporters here said he will be abroad for a week on a personal visit.
To a question about the agenda of his trip to the US and whether he will be meeting any big personalities there, he said, "it is a personal family trip....(meeting) no one, I'm going on a personal basis."
Shivakumar also met Chief Minister Siddramaiah at his residence earlier in the day, official sources said.
