Ever since the centre passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), somehow the country has been polarised into two camps– either you’re with the government or you’re a protestor. The concept of their, them and others has become so deeply etched into the minds of some people that they’ve resorted to taking up arms and opening fire against people they think are against the nation.
On Sunday night, unidentified gunmen riding a scooter opened fire outside Gate number 5 of Jamia Millia University where students and citizens have been holding protests against the CAA for several weeks. Eyewitnesses saw two men riding a red scooter and immediately fled the spot after firing shots in the air. The firing triggered panic in the area, and students and locals gathered in large numbers outside the university at night.
The Delhi Police has said that no bullet shells or evidence of the firing have been found at the shooting site and a case has been registered. The investigation is underway but no arrests have been made yet.
#WATCH Delhi: People gather in protest outside Jamia Millia Islamia University following an incident of firing at gate no.5 of the university. 2 scooty-borne unidentified people had fired bullets at the spot. SHO (Station house officer) is present at the spot. Investigation is on pic.twitter.com/EKlxQPBVum
— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2020
This latest shooting incident of firing at Jamia comes just days after a minor gunman shouted slogans at protesting Jamia students in broad daylight and opened fire. The 17-year-old man brandished a gun and shouted at the protesters “yeh lo azaadi” (Here, take your freedom). As some of the students tried to calm him down, he opened fire and injured a student, Shadab Farooq, on his arm. The student then underwent surgery.
On Saturday too, another gunman opened fire at the Shaheen Bagh protest site where local women have been peacefully protesting and sitting outside on the streets for over fifty days against the CAA and violence at Jamia University in December.
This Is How Twitter Has Reacted To The Shootings
Happening now: Women students of Jamia Millia Islamia University march out at 2:00 am after fresh round of #JamiaShooting reported. #CAA_NRCProtests pic.twitter.com/cIjwqgNTTl
— Betwa Sharma (@betwasharma) February 2, 2020
From calling out the Delhi Police to taking digs at the government, protestors have been shouting slogans of azaadi (freedom) and calling for peace.
When did we become a society that takes up arms against its citizens? When did we become so consumed with hatred that we took to using scare tactics to make people stop exercising their rights of peacefully protesting?
I just want to ask one thing–which religion and which sect says that gun violence is justified?
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