AIDSO issued the following statement on 18-08-22:
On 17 August 2022, the students, protesting peacefully under the leadership of AIDSO against phenomenal fee-hike at Haldibari College in Coochbehar district, West Bengal, were brutally attacked by the police administration, backed by the ruling TMC. Demanding exemplary punishment of the accused police officer, a peaceful procession reached the office of the Superintendent of Police. But then suddenly the police once again pounced upon the unarmed student activists, pulled them by their clothes, abused them verbally abused, and beat them mercilessly with the batons. Girl students were also not spared and even attacked by the male police. The police then arrested the demonstrating students and AIDSO workers and slapped false cases against 13 students under multiple non-bailable sections including terrorist activities, harassment of women. The tragedy is, even the local court has ordered to send the students to jail for 10 days!
Comrade Sourav Ghosh, the General Secretary of AIDSO said, ‘‘AIDSO appeals to all the democratic minded citizens of the country to rise up in protest against this ghastly attack by the police and implicating the anti-fee hike protestors under non-bailable cases. The people of India have deep respect for the movements led by AIDSO because they are always legitimate and dignified. In the long history of students’ movement in our country, the AIDSO is held in high esteem because it always fights against injustice with justified demands and never indulges in any unethical practices. It’s deplorable that in order to dissuade the students from joining the anti-fee hike protest, the TMC government has implicated the students in false cases of behaving indecently with women and creating terror. This role of the administration towards a just democratic movement is nothing but state repression. This role of the police administration and ruthless attack on the democratic students’ movement, is being condemned by the people of entire state. We are appealing to all students, teachers, and guardians, people of all professions to join the anti-fee hike students’ movement and also protest the police repression in Coochbehar. We are appealing to your conscience and raise your voice against this brutality.’’
AIDSO gave the called Coochbehar bandh on 23 August in condemnation of the police attack and arrest of peaceful agitators which became a complete success.
AIDSO vehemently condemns police brutality on protesting Students in West Bengal
