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A scuffle broke out at a pro-Palestine solidarity protest organised by the English and Foreign Languages University’s (EFLU) Student Union (SU) in Hyderabad on Tuesday, October 7, after members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) raised pro-Zionist slogans and addressed the pro-Palestinian protestors as “desh ke gaddar” (traitors of India). The incident resulted in a 22-year-old former EFLU student being detained by Osmania University police officials.
The EFLU Students' Union comprising of student parties like the Students Federation of India (SFI), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Fraternity Movement and Telugu Students’ Federation (TSF) had organised the protest in solidarity with the global movement slamming the nation-state of Israel for its atrocities against Palestine and demanding a ‘free Palestine.”
During the latter half of the protest organised in EFLU premises, ABVP cadres raised pro-Zionist slogans calling for the pro-Palestinians to be shot at. A statement of condemnation issued by the Students Union also noted that ABVP was “tearing the posters of support towards Palestine, right after the peaceful Palestine solidarity gathering was dispersed.”
The statement also noted that police officials were “freely allowed inside the campus and were manhandling students who were defending themselves from the ABVP goons” and further read, “none of the admin members (EFLU administration) came to protect the university's student community.” Two students TNM spoke to confirmed that there were around 15-20 police officials present at the protest.
In the scuffle, a 22-year-old former EFLU student who had joined in towards the end of the protest alleges that he was specifically targeted by the ABVP. Originally hailing from Odisha, the student told TNM on the condition of anonymity that within mere minutes of reaching the campus, a scuffle broke out between the ABVP and the Students Union and the ABVP members running after him.
“They alleged that the Union was bringing ‘leftists from outside’ the campus and circled me. I was hit and my keffiyeh (a traditional Palestine scarf) was torn,” the former student, who self-identified as left-leaning, told TNM. He however added that he was not associated with any party even when he was enrolled at EFLU for his masters degree.
“Members of the union tried to protect me but eventually when the scuffle started to escalate 4-5 police officials took me to the Osmania University (OU) police station and detained me. Since my phone was taken away and I was detained on the first floor of the OU station, no one could know where I was,” he added.
The 22-year-old noted that police officials noted his name, residence and place of work and eventually let him go. “They also asked me if I was clutching a Palestinian flag and if I supported Palestine. I said, “Yes I support Palestine but I had no flag with me.’” he said.
The protesters were dispersed by the police around 9:40 pm. The former student, detained by the police, was released after three hours.