Port Blair, Sept. 29: The 28th of Sept. 2022 will be marked as a black day in the history of Andaman & Nicobar Islands wherein the protesting students of DBRAIT were dispersed using water cannons and tear gas by the Police and the Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
The protesting students along with their parents and well-wishers had blocked the road leading from the Airport to Dairy Farm junction in Port Blair to press on their 17 point demands concerning the affiliation of DBRAIT and other allied issues. The protesting students were of the opinion that the Andaman & Nicobar Administration had given false assurances which made them feel betrayed.
The atrocities done on students which includes girls and women who had gathered had raised serious concerns across the Islands with a large number of islanders coming forward in support of the students and the issues concerned. Many of them have even changed their Display Profiles on Social Media marking “Support DBRAIT Students”.
Apart from this, various organisations including political and non-political have jointly called for an Andaman Bandh today i.e. 30th Sept. 2022 as a mark of protest against the atrocities done on students. The organisations have been appealing to the general public to cooperate.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee has come forward to condemn the police action on the agitating students of DBRAIT. “It is condemnable that the police used force against the peacefully agitating students, used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the students. A few students sustained serious injuries during the police action”, said a release from the CPI(M).
Meanwhile the Island Development Organization has decided to support Andaman Bandh to be held on 30/09/2022. This is in view of the incident happened recently in the matter of DBRAIT Students and its affiliations. “It is a serious concern questioning future of the youths”, said a release from IDO.
Further Shri Neeraj Kundan, National President, National Students Union of India and M A Sajid, State President, NSUI, Andaman & Nicobar Islands have strongly condemned the conduct of Andaman & Nicobar Administration and Andaman & Nicobar Police towards the innocent protesting students of DBRAIT.
A & N Police used undue force with the consent of A & N Administration on students to crush their protest. Water Canon and Tear Gas was used on innocent students.
“It is to note that the students had blocked the road near Dairy Farm Junction since morning on 28th September 2022 to press for their demand of proper affiliation, but no officer from A & N Administration visited the protesting students. Use of undue force was ordered without trying to speak to students and without trying to solve the issues of students”, said a communication from NSUI.
Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS today convened a meeting with the student representatives, political leaders and representatives of NGOs and Civil Society Organisation to discuss on the issue. The Chief Secretary suggested that the matters can be resolved by dialogue. A High Level Committee was also constituted to take a note and resolve the issues of students at short notice. Students have been advised to refrain from any disruptive protest/ agitation. “This kind of unruly and disruptive activity brings disrepute and disgrace to the peace-loving and amiable people of ANI and dents its tourist-friendly image”, said an official release from the Chief Secretary’s office.