BHU issues advisory to students, bars them from joining CAA protests

Lucknow: Amid the pro and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests by its students, the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has issued an advisory asking them not to participate in any such activities on the campus to avoid any clash and communal flare-up. Notably, the different groups of BHU students have been participating in protests in favour and against the CAA for the last four days.

The BHU administration’s advisory has come after opposing groups of students held marches over the issue of CAA. While a section of students under the banner of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), on Monday, had taken out a torch rally against the CAA in support of the protestors of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia University, others, believably pro-ABVP group, held a march, shouting slogans in support of the new citizenship law on Tuesday.  

The deemed prestigious university administration claimed that it had issued the advisory to the students after Varanasi district and police administration shared inputs over possible trouble during the demonstrations by the opposing groups of students in the city. The university administration also claimed that there was a probability of outsiders and mischief elements joining these marches and dharnas with the intention of spoiling the communal atmosphere of the city. 

Meanwhile, Section 144 has been in place in Varanasi along with other districts across the



state.

BHU authorities have alerted the department and faculty heads to ask their students to keep away from any such activity and support the district administration and varsity to keep the academic atmosphere normal, the varsity said in a statement. 

The central university also appealed to the administrative caretakers of the various hostels to inform the chief security officer about "outside interference or provocation" related to the CAA.

The police authorities in different districts have arrested 113 persons including five in Pratapgarh so far connection with anti-CAA protests across the state.

According to Inspector General (Law & Order) Praveen Kumar, peaceful protests against CAA were observed at several places on Wednesday. "Where ever protestors tried to breach Section 144, they were taken into custody,” said the I-G. He added that legal proceedings were initiated against 28 named persons in the state in connection with violation of law and order during protests.

He said that Additional Director General (Prosecution) Ashutosh Pandey had already reached Mau, the trouble torn eastern UP district where arson and vandalism was reported on Monday. The police administration is keeping a close watch on various social networking sites to check any hate message from being spread in the state. “The police administration is cracking down on rumour mongers and those who are found violating the law and order,” said the I-G.