'We would like to make it clear that no voice can be curbed and the students movement will continue to produce fearless voices,'
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union called the attack on its leader Umar Khalid on Monday as a "culmination of the hate-filled propaganda spewed by the Modi government" against him and against all those who have questioned this regime.
"It is with grave concern that we wish to stand in complete solidarity with Umar Khalid. Today, an unidentified man opened fire on him. We see this cowardly act as a culmination of the hate-filled propaganda that this Modi government onwards has spewed against Umar, JNU students and all those voices who have questioned this regime," the JNUSU said in a statement.
In the new India, mob lynching and attacks on common people have become the norm and cow vigilantes are being given impunity which has further aggregated these incidents, they said.
"From the JNUSU, we would like to make it clear that no voice can be curbed and the students movement will continue to produce fearless voices. We also demand that the Delhi Police take appropriate action against those conspirators behind this attack. In this need of hour, we shall unconditionally stand by Umar Khalid and demand speedy justice," they said in the statement.
Some unidentified men targeted Khalid at Constitution Club in the high security area near Parliament and gunshots were heard, but he escaped unhurt, according to eyewitnesses, even as the police asserted it will verify the incident.
According to posts on social media, the JNU leader was attending a programme called 'Towards a Freedom Without Fear' at Constitution Club. Speakers at the event included lawyer Prashant bhushan, and suspended Gorakhpur doctor Kafeel Khan.
"A man attackedUmar Khalid from behind while Khalid and his associates were having tea at a stall, Khalid fell down. He is safe. We are investigating further," said Ajay Chaudhary, Joint CP Delhi Police was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The gun that was used to shot Khalid has been recovered.
The tea stall owner told Zee News that he heard a sound that sounded like a tyre burst. The attacker's identity is yet to be ascertained. Later Khalid said, "There is an atmosphere of fear in the country, and anybody who speaks against the government is threatened."
"Wage a motivated hate campaign against individuals & sooner or later someone will feel emboldened enough to take the law in to their own hands. The attack on Umar Khalid is the direct result of the relentless hate campaign using both social & mainstream media. Glad he’s well," tweeted former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as soon as the news broke out.
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