#OccupyUGC protests: Video exposes Delhi Police's claims that 'no one was lathi charged'
Delhi Police decided on Tuesday to take on students who have been agitating outside the University Grants Commission office since last week to protest against the scrapping of certain fellowships. According to students who were at the scene dozens of policemen chased protesters who had been trying to 'occupy' UGC, leaving some severely injured. The students were then allegedly taken in vans to a police station.
Yet, in a statement to the Indian Express, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Paramaditya insisted that the protesters had instigated the violence and that no one had been lathi charged. “Around 45-50 protesters were detained. No one was lathicharged. Policemen did not have lathis… the protesters attacked and injured policewomen," Paramaditya told the Express. The above video, posted by photo journalist and protester Akhil Kumar, shows exactly what the Delhi Police mean when its leaders say "no one was lathicharged."
Known as the non-NET fellowships, the program had allowed approximately 35,000 students to pursue their M.Phil and Ph.D degrees without having to take the National Eligibility Test, which qualifies candidates to be lecturers.
The UGC had first scrapped the fellowships prompting immediate protests which led to the Human Resource Development ministry saying the decision has been overturned. The ministry has set up a committee to look into the grants, but students continued to protest calling for the fellowships to be provided with out any additional conditions.