DU Chhatra League president: Will resist anti-Modi protesters

Chhatra League’s Dhaka University (DU) unit President Sanjit Chandra Das on Thursday said the student organization would resist anti-Modi protests on the campus.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Bangladesh on March 26 to join celebrations marking the golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sanjit said a vested quarter is conspiring even as world leaders join Bangladesh to celebrate the country’s 50 years of independence. 

“We’ll deal with whoever comes to protest at Raju sculpture [on the campus] tomorrow,” he said at a Chhatra League rally at Raju Memorial Sculpture to protest against the attack on Hindus in Naogram village of Sunamganj’s Shalla upazila.

Earlier today, left-leaning student organizations arranged a press conference in front of the university’s Madhur Canteen protesting against Modi’s visit to Bangladesh. They announced to bring out a procession and hold a rally at the base of the Raju Memorial Sculpture on Friday. They also announced a torchlight procession on the evening of March 25. 

At the press conference, Bangladesh Students’ Union chief Foez Ullah read out a prepared statement in presence of the leaders and activists from nine progressive student organizations.

In the statement, the protesters said that the Awami League was celebrating the golden jubilee of independence without ensuring people’s participation. They said that intellectuals and political parties are protesting against Modi’s participation.

In the statement, the protesters noted that border killings have not gone down and Bangladesh has not yet received its fair share of Teesta water while its rivers, ports, the Sundarbans are all victims of Indian aggression.

At the Chhatra League rally, Sanjit said the student front will not allow the leftists to arrange a rally on the campus and threatened to “peel off your skin.”

He said the leftist organizations were “becoming the agents of Shibir” and told the Chhatra League activists to remain alert to foil any conspiracy.

Sanjit also criticized the leftist organizations for not protesting against the attack on Hindus.

Chhatra League DU unit General Secretary Saddam Hossain said communal forces are trying to tarnish the country's image when it is celebrating the golden jubilee of independence. 

He said members of Chhatra League and the general students would resist anyone trying to interrupt the golden jubilee celebrations.