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Former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Saturday remarked that today's younger generation is bravely teaching the country how to stand up without fear. The Congress leader pointed out that activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have spent years behind bars without formal proof of their alleged crimes being presented in court.
Speaking to the students at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the Congress leader reflected on how political intimidation affected his own generation compared to the current youth and contrasted past anxieties with today's activism. He said, "...Today's youth are not just students, they are teaching a lesson to the country. What is that lesson? The lesson is - Be Fearless. Our generation was really scared. Hearing Modi ji and Amit Shah's name used to make us shiver. We used to suspect that if we raised our voice, something would happen to us." Discussing how systemic pressures created a climate of fear among older political figures, the leader shared his personal reflections on intimidation. "We have seen Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. They have been in jail since past 6-7 years. Govt has still not been able to present their crime before the Court. In such a situation, we were scared. I would like to tell you that though I tried to raise my voice, I had fear inside me. Today, we can see that you are fearless and I have come here to learn this," Mani Shankar Aiyar said. Meanwhile, at least 130 police personnel and around 65 students have been injured during the July 20 students' "Sansad Chalo" protest march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament, while 15 FIRs have been registered in connection with the demonstrations, Delhi Police sources said. According to the police sources, around 10,000 people are present on average at and around Jantar Mantar, where nearly 3,000 police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order. The Delhi Police is also using Facial Recognition System (FRS) cameras to identify anti-social elements arriving at the protest site. "With the help of Facial Recognition System (FRS) cameras, Delhi Police is identifying anti-social elements coming to Jantar Mantar. Police have identified more than 2,000 such people so far who have had criminal records and came to Jantar Mantar," Police sources said. The police have maintained a heightened security presence in and around Jantar Mantar amid the continuing protest and are monitoring the movement of people arriving at the site. On July 20, the movement escalated as tens of thousands joined the "Sansad Chalo" march from Jantar Mantar toward Parliament, following which barricades went up. Police responded with tear gas and lathi-charges. Dozens on both sides were injured. The crackdown triggered outrage across party lines and led to legal petitions alleging excessive force. In turn, Police had blamed anti-social elements for stone-pelting and instigating violence. Meanwhile, The FIR registered at the Parliament Street police station invokes various sections of the BNS, including Section 223(b), pertaining to disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant or obstruction of government work; Section 221, concerning obstruction or influencing a public servant in the discharge of public functions; and Section 132, related to assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty. (ANI)
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