AIZAWL, Jan 16: Students
and staff of Mizoram University staged a peaceful demonstration expressing solidarity
with the teachers and students
of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
The demonstration was
jointly organised by the
Mizoram University Teachers’
Association (MIZUTA), the
Mizoram University NonTeaching Employees’ Association (MUNTEA) and the
Mizoram University Students’
Council (MZUSC) on Wednesday to express solidarity with
the victims of atrocities committed in JNU on January 5.
The Mizoram University
Alumni Association and the
JNU Alumni Association,
Mizoram Chapter also joined
the demonstration.
They issued a statement
strongly condemning the extreme violence inflicted on the
teachers and students of JNU.
They demanded that the
culprits be identified and
brought to justice. They
urged the authorities concerned to ensure safety of
the students and teachers at
the institutes of higher learning across the country. They
urged all concerned not to
use the universities and institutes of higher learning as
space for violence and intellectual disintegration.
Prof Margaret Ch Zama,
former president of MIZUTA,
said, “We stand firm in expressing our solidarity and
extending full support to the
JNU fraternity in their fight to
maintain the right to freedom
of expression and dissent for
the preservation of the hallowed values and foundation
upon which the premier institution was established, which
they believe is under dire
threat today.”
She expressed concern
over the “disturbing trend of
use of violent force to suppress
dissent in the higher seats of
learning” in the country.
Rev Dr Lalchungnunga, a
JNU alumnus and Mizoram
Presbyterian church pastor,
said, “We never go wearing
face mask and sticks, rather we
go there with reading materials, books and pens. Stick and
face mask are not with academic persuasion.”
He also condemned those
who perpetuated violence and
said this should not be repeated. -Assam Tribune
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