CAA protests: Delhi HC issues notice to Centre, Delhi govt, police; no protection to students

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Thursday asked the Centre, the AAP government and the police to respond to several PILs seeking setting up of a judicial commission to look into the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia University protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar declined to pass any interim directions, including for protection of students from coercive action, and listed the matter for hearing on February 4.

As the bench declined to pass any interim orders and rose from the dais, the lawyers appearing in the PILs chanted “shame shame” and it was echoed by other lawyers in court.

The six petitions, moved by lawyers, students of JMI, residents of Okhla where university is located and the Imam of Jama Masjid mosque opposite Parliament House, had also sought medical treatment, compensation and interim protection from arrest for the students.

They had also sought appropriate action, including registration of FIRs, against the erring police officers.

Several public buses and two police vehicles were torched in the clash between students and police at New Friends’ Colony near Jamia university during a demonstration against the CAA last Sunday.
Students and police personnel were injured in the incident.