Yesterday my three friends and I went to Jantar
Mantar for the protest against appointment of Mr Gajendra Chauhan as the
director of the Film and Televison Institute of India(FTII). Leaving our
classes midway we joined them at Jantar Mantar, the police had still not
allowed them to pass by and go ahead, they group was stopped by the yellow barricades.
Students were singing and sloganeering for their cause. Then a small group of
students started walking towards the Central Secretariat, we were also asked to
join, thus we followed them wondering what would happen next. No sooner we
reached CS, than the policemen warned us not to go ahead of the footpath, they
asked us to stand there with our posters and mouth closed. No placards no sloganeering.
We followed what they said as we were in small number, while we were still
sitting and talking how to proceed, a photographer from news organization
clicked us with different angles to get the right shot. In next few minutes to
our shock a police van came. Policewomen stepped down from the van and asked
the girls to get in. Yes they were there to detain us. The section 144 was in place.
We argued with them why they were taking us even when we did nothing but
nothing helped
They didn’t listen and thus we sat in the van. They
misinformed us that they were taking us to our friends. The van stopped at the
parliament street police station. We all stepped down from the van and took
step forward in the police station .Though my a few of my friends got nervous
,it was our first time that we were detained and were inside the police station.
A few were angry but I was confused what exactly happened-contrary to my nature
I did not panic or went nervous.
We entered
the premises of the police station and reached the courtyard at around 5:30 pm,
Vedanta protesters were already waiting to be relieved. They were there since 1
o clock. Then we all talked about the scene inside and out. These guys started
singing and playing balloons in the courtyard of the parliament street police
station.Irony.Seeing them policemen and women who sat facing us smiled.
We sat under the tree (I couldn’t observe which tree
it was?), around the platform students played guitar. When we asked to police
to leave us they told us that even they want to leave for home and it was
because us they were holding back. May be police were not at fault, they were
asked by the ministers or officers to do so.
When one of friends said to policewomen that they
could not detain women after the sunset, they replied they did not know any
rule and it was better if we kept quite.
Meanwhile we talked to one of the teachers from FTII
and got to know what kind of institute it is. They told us students arrange for
their own teachers, they decide for themselves whom they want to study from,
the institute encourages them to stay outside the premises and learn on their
own. It was such a foreign thing to us. Compared to our institute where we
spent almost a day inside premises and learn within the walls. Thanks to the
system. Had it not been for some of the faculties who brainwashed us, we would
have become another by product of the system. When we told them the issue of attendance,
they smiled and their smile was evident of ‘What’s attendance?’
Around 7 :00 pm Vedanta protestors were released, we
took opportunity to come out with them. After some conversation with police we
were set free. We were asked not to take any posters or placard with us .I came
out of jail with my friends. First time in jail.
It was one of those moments of my life when I was
devoid of any sort of emotion –I was not panicky, not angry, not frustrated; I
don’t know what I felt. But I knew everything would be all right.
In morning we came to know that ministers who talked
to two representatives from FTII said it was not the conducive environment to
talk. The struggle shall go on. Hope this attempt at saffronizing the higher
education stops soon Agitation leaps the results.
Any way I forgot to write one important thing, it’s been
a year since I came to Delhi. August 3. A date to remember.
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