Amid nationwide uproar against the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) violence, a heated scuffle broke out between women students of Bengaluru's Jyoti Nivas College and a group of BJP workers.
Following the incident, a video surfaced on the internet where the BJP workers heckled the female students calling them 'anti-national' and 'uneducated' for not signing on a pro-CAA banner. The female students even opposed the BJP workers from putting up the banner outside the college wall.
What exactly happened at Jyoti Nivas College?
According to the students, as they were stepping outside the college around 3 pm on Wednesday, January 8, they noticed a group of people approaching the JNC gate with a huge banner which read 'India Supports CAA.' There were at least 10-15 BJP workers who were carrying out a signature campaign asking locals and the female students to sign on it.
Few students who were fearful signed the banner and the rest opposed this step as the workers were putting it up without the college's administrations permission. The BJP workers then pursued the students to sign the banners regardless of their opinion.
'You are not Indians'
As the argument escalated, one of the workers shouted at the female students saying, "You are not concerned about citizenship, you are concerned about yourself... you are not Indians."
When the students told them that they can not put up the banner outside the college without the permission of the administration, the workers argued, "Students are not the owners of the college and only the owner can only object to the banner being stuck to the wall."
Few members of the college management also came and engaged in a discussion with them. The workers did not agree to take down the banner. After which the students started chanting slogans against the BJP workers "revoke CAA". In response, the workers started to shout slogans, "go to Pakistan"
'Before taking down the banner, BJP workers clicked selfie with it'
The police were eventually called and they dispersed the crowd. One of the JNC students alleged that the BJP workers were still standing outside the college even after the whole incident and clicked a few selfies in front of the banner before removing it.
Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy took to her Twitter account and shared the video stating, "A few videos & photos of outside Jyoti Nivas college are being circulated on social media. MLA Ramalinga Reddy & I have spoken to cops and the Principal about this incident. Spoke to DCP South East Isha Panth and she said that Koramangala cops went there immediately & they are picketing even now."
The college administration is yet to issue a statement on the incident.
