New Delhi: The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) said on Saturday that hundreds of its members and Delhi University (DU) students held a protest march against alleged police harassment of students who participated in the Cockroach Janta Party's July 20 "Sansad Chalo" march.
NSUI members said protesting students demanded an apology from DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh over the university's advisory, issued a week ago, asking students and faculty members to refrain from participating in any unlawful assemblies or demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
According to the NSUI -- student wing of the Indian National Congress -- the march began from gate number 4 of the Faculty of Arts at Delhi University, with protesters raising slogans against the university administration and the Centre.
The student organisation alleged that police action had been used to intimidate students and sought accountability from the university administration.
"A university is meant to be a space for dialogue, disagreement and democratic expression, not a place where students are intimidated through police action.
The Delhi University administration cannot remain silent when its own students face such treatment. Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh must take responsibility and apologise to the students," NSUI National Media In-charge Ravi Pandey said in a statement.
Pandey alleged that attempts to suppress peaceful protests would not deter the student community.
The NSUI said it would continue its "democratic struggle" until the concerns of Delhi University students are addressed.
There was no immediate response from the Delhi University administration.
The "Sansad Chalo" protest march turned violent, with more than 118 police personnel, including several senior officers, sustaining injuries; police reported that around 60 protesters were injured and approximately 70 were detained.
Last week, the Cockroach Janta Party called off its 36-day agitation after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned and the government accepted its other demands regarding irregularities in exams and the NEET paper leak.