In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) activists staged a vigorous demonstration outside the residence of Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar late Tuesday night. The protest was in response to a police baton charge on students at the Shri Ram Swaroop Memorial University (SRMU) in Barabanki on Monday and the minister’s allegedly controversial remarks.
During the demonstration, the protesting students vehemently shouted slogans against Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar and the government. A tense clash erupted between the students and the police, after which the police detained several activists and took them to Eco Garden. The situation in the area became tense for a while due to the demonstration.
On Monday, ABVP activists and students protested against the lack of recognition for the LLB course and alleged illegal activities at the Ram Swaroop University in Barabanki. It is alleged that the university has been running law courses without recognition from the Bar Council of India (BCI) since 2022, jeopardizing the future of the students. During the protest, the police carried out a baton charge, injuring more than 24 students.
Some students sustained serious injuries in the baton charge and were admitted to Mayo Hospital and the district hospital. Students allege that the police not only carried out a brutal baton charge, but also that external goons, at the behest of the university administration, attacked the students. This incident has created a political storm across the state.
The anger of the protesting students intensified when Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar allegedly made controversial remarks about the injured students. The minister stated that the police rightly used batons on ABVP goons. Condemning this as insulting, ABVP workers held a sit-in outside Rajbhar’s residence on Tuesday night and burned an effigy. During the protest, angry students climbed the gate of the residence and raised slogans against the government and police administration.
Pushpendra Bajpai, the Awadh province secretary of ABVP, said, “Our demand is that strict action should be taken against the university administration and the guilty policemen. Our agitation will continue until justice is served to the injured students.”
Heavy police force was deployed at the scene to control the demonstration. As soon as the students started raising slogans by climbing the gate, the police tried to stop them. During this, there was a scuffle and a heated argument. The police used mild force to control the situation and took several protesters into custody and took them to Eco Garden.
This incident also gave the opposition parties an opportunity to attack the government. The Samajwadi Party (SP)’s student wing, Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, and NSUI demonstrated in front of Raj Bhavan in Lucknow in support of ABVP. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav termed it a fight for dominance between the ruling parties and demanded compensation of one lakh rupees each for the injured students and proper treatment. Congress MP Tanuj Punia also condemned the police action by visiting the injured students at the trauma center.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the matter and ordered immediate action. Barabanki CO City Harshit Chauhan was removed, while Kotwali SHO Ramkishan Rana and outpost in-charge Gajendra Singh were put on the line. Along with this, the Divisional Commissioner of Ayodhya and IG have been directed to investigate. The CM has also issued orders to investigate the validity of the university’s degree.
ABVP and other student organizations have demanded that the Vice Chancellor of the university be dismissed, the expelled students be reinstated, and a clear position be presented regarding the recognition of the law degree. The students have warned that if their demands are not met, the agitation will be intensified.
