In a shocking incident at Allahabad University on late Thursday night, students belonging to the BJP’s youth wing ABVP physically attacked, harassed and intimidated Richa Singh, the president of the students union and other students including women. The incident took place during a peaceful hunger strike that was being led by Richa. The strike was in protest of the impending visit of controversial BJP MP Yogi Adityanath to the university. According to Richa, “We were attacked at 2am by the General Secretary Siddharth Singh alias Golu, and Vice President Vikrant Singh of the Students Union along with dozens of other lumpen elements in the presence of the Proctor of the University. When we appealed to the Proctor to intervene, he simply refused to cooperate and failed to stop the attackers.”
Following the incident, an atmosphere of fear has gripped the university campus and the city. Women students in particular say they are feel vulnerable. Richa states, “I have been receiving repeated death threats since the incident. If I, the women president of the Students’ body, feel unsafe, one can only imagine the plight of other women students. The administration is refusing to provide us adequate security.”
Background
Richa Singh made history in September 2015 when she was elected to the post of Students Union President as an independent candidate, becoming the first woman to hold the post since Independence. The remaining four members of the Students Union are from the ABVP.
Richa and 50 other students were staging a peaceful hunger strike to protest the invitation extended to Mr Yogi Adityanath. The BJP MP from Gorakhpur, who has recently been in the news for making communal statements, had been invited by the ABVP students without Richa’s consent to inaugurate and felicitate the newly elected union on 20th November. This is in blatant violation of the AUSU’s constitution. Mr Adityanath was later not allowed to enter the university as the requisite permission from the district administration had not been taken either.
We, the following Women’s Organizations strongly condemn the attack on Richa Singh and other students of Allahabad University by the youth wing of BJP. We also express our concern regarding the safety and security of Richa Singh and other girls students of the University.
We have also submitted a memorandum to Chairperson, NCW to take immediate notice of the above case and ensure speedy and appropriate action against the culprits.
AIDWA , NFIW, JWP , GOS, AIDMAM, YWCA
