Ramjas: She was molested, her clothes were torn but she stayed strong

Ramjas college saw AISA (All India Students’ Association) activists clash with ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) students after the latter objected to their ‘azadi’ slogans:

ABVP has been accused by an openly biased media that it attacked ‘students’ of AISA during Ramjas brawl while conveniently forgetting that ABVP also comprises of ‘students.’

The AISA activists are painting one side of the story claiming that they were attacked and their female students were molested. Quick to earn quick publicity some hashtag campaigns in the support of AISA have been launched with some media houses cheering them on.

But yet they fail to report that there is another side of the story too. Case in point is of Prerna Bhardwaj who was allegedly assaulted by AISA activists during the Ramjas brawl. A student of North Campus’ Kirori Mal College, not very far from Ramjas, Prerna faced a harrowing time when AISA activists clashed with ABVP.

In a lengthy post the young girl spoke her heart on what she faced during clashes at Ramjas:

I went home and cried, and cried for hours, my clothes were torn, my mother came running she was horrified to see the sight I was in.
She expected the worst she kissed me she cried too.
She enquired what happened. My father heard the noise he came in the room too.
I told them some boys from the left tried to molest me, they hit me on my chest infront of everyone today.
Papa enquired where did it all happen I told him that we were protesting, protesting for the country who made me what I am today, protesting for the integrity of the county, Protesting as a payback for my university. My father kept looking and didn’t say a word, I continued “I am girl, I know and you won’t like me being so much into the politics, I know you’ve been with me in every step of my life be it when I chose Humanities over Science or my decision to become an army officer and an IPS instead of a doctor , how can I tolerate the insult of my nation, how can I tolerate abuses on the people in the uniform when I myself is an NCC cadet and wear uniform!
How can bear somebody tearing clothes of my friends and the female police who was there to protect them?
How can I stay quiet when they call terrorist a shaheed?
Papa! Nobody knows it better than a family who has lost someone for the country?
How can I not fight for my nation when being Indian is my only identity?
How can I not fight these goons when they try to molest me?
Till when I stay silent for the sake of “the so-called pride of the family ?
I know papa, people must be cooking stories about how my clothes got torn and the society will be telling you to keep me at home and lock me but papa, till when I will stay under the judgments? Can’t I take my own stand?
You’ve always taught me to do something that makes you proud!
To never let you down!
To stay dignified!
If I haven’t fought, I would have let you down, I would have been ashamed in my own eyes, I would have been never able to forgive myself If I DID NOT FIGHT BACK ”
My father, in tears hugged me and said
“When I told you that make me proud someday, I meant this, I am proud of you my cadet! ”

Today, when I am writing all this I thank AISA, SFI and all the anti-national elements to give me chance to see that glow in my parents eyes.
I thank you for deepening my love for my country and giving me chance to FIGHT BACK!
THANK YOU.

Prena is not alone, Diksha Verma also narrated what the girl students faced at the hands of AISA members but unlikely that they will be called in a TV studio to narrate their side of Ramjas story.

Diksha also replied to a nasty comment where she was accused of hitting a man by a supporter of AISA and said that this done in self-defence because the man was trying to molest her during the Ramjas brawl:

While student politics is no bed of roses, yet Delhi University is unlike JNU, and this brawl at Ramjas after AISA stepped in is a hint of the times to come if it gains foot hold.

In short, Delhi University must decide if it wants to be known as the destination for studies, or for failed ‘student leaders’ touching 30s talking about azadi trying to launch their failed careers over and over again by sparking one controversy after another.

By Namta Gupta