Caught on camera, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Delhi Police and unidentified individuals reportedly used excessive force against student protesters in the national capital.
• The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear complaints regarding these alleged police excesses on Monday, July 27.
• Video evidence circulating online shows personnel, both in uniform and plain clothes, engaging in violence, including alleged sexual assault and the use of pellet guns.
• Protesters, who were largely peaceful, sustained pellet injuries that authorities have not yet explained.
• The student protests were primarily against recurring paper leaks in various examinations, including the NEET exam.

Detailed Insights:

• The incidents reportedly breached established crowd control protocols, with the apparent intent to harm and terrorize protesters rather than merely disperse them.
• Video clips depict a senior Delhi Police official slapping a female protester, an unidentified uniformed person poking a girl, and personnel surrounding and groping a girl.
• Individuals not in uniform but wearing helmets were also seen beating protesters and smashing vehicles.
• This pattern of police action against student protesters has precedents, including the 2020 violence on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and the 2019 crackdown during Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests at Jamia Millia Islamia.
• The recent protests, spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demand accountability for exam paper leaks and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
• The Chief Justice of India clarified that the court's initial reluctance to hear the complaints was technical, as no formal petitions had been filed at that time.
• The Supreme Court will now consider two petitions detailing the nature and extent of the force used, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation into whether the force was authorized and proportionate.
• Concerns have been raised regarding the deployment of plainclothes personnel for crowd control and the lack of visible identification for officers using force.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Supreme Court of India: The apex judicial body in India, responsible for interpreting the Constitution and safeguarding fundamental rights.
• Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019: An act passed by the Indian Parliament that amends the Citizenship Act of 1955 to provide a path to Indian citizenship for religious minorities (excluding Muslims) from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India by December 31, 2014.
• Crowd Control Protocols: Standard operating procedures and guidelines for law enforcement agencies to manage public gatherings, aiming to disperse crowds with minimal force and ensure public safety.
• Police Excesses: Actions by law enforcement that exceed legal authority or use disproportionate force, violating citizens' rights and established legal norms.