In Rare Sight, Students of St Stephen’s College Walk Out of Classrooms Chanting 'Inquilab' Slogans

New Delhi: It was a rare sight on Wednesday when chants of ‘azadi’ and Faiz’s iconic poem ‘Hum Dekhenge’ echoed at Delhi University’s prestigious St Stephen’s College, which is largely considered to be an apolitical, and even ‘aloof’, campus.

Scores of students spontaneously walked out of classes to join a protest march against the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), in solidarity with the students of JNU who were assaulted by a masked mob on Sunday night, and "as resistance against consolidated attacks of fascism".

The protesters marched towards the Arts Faculty building in Delhi University, where a sea of students led a similar strike, with placards that read ‘Kagaz Nahi Dikhayenge’, ‘Bure Din Wapas De Do’ and ‘No NRC-CAA’.

They marched to the tune of slogans like ‘Is baar nahi hum chhodenge, itihas ki dhaara modenge’ (We will not let go this time, we will change the direction of history), ‘Zulmi jab jab zulm karega satta ke hathiyaron se, chappa chappa goonj uthega inquilab ke naaro se’ (The tyrant will be countered with the chants of revolution).

The organisers, who are not affiliated with any political outfit, told News18.com that they decided to come out in protest to keep up the momentum of resistance. “Protests have been happening across the country and we the students in St Stephen’s didn’t want the momentum of the student protests across the country to die. We wanted to join,” said Meghna, one of the organisers.

“This college is an apolitical space. We were afraid that as soon as college starts, everyone might just go back to usual academic classes and resume normal schedule. We did not want that to happen. This isn’t over yet. People are in danger and the government is not relenting,” she said.

While expressions of discontent have taken place on campus in the past, notably during the US invasion of Iraq and to preserve the college’s autonomy, this is perhaps the first time that slogans of ’inquilab’ were raised.

"The issue is so important that institutions regarded as elite and aloof are participating. The attack inside Jamia library was a big wake up call,” said Nandita Narain, faculty at St Stephen’s.

“We have a lively atmosphere. We discuss politics, but we don’t have sectarian or political affiliations. There are formal and informal discussions on all issues political, social. The campus has liberal ethos, it has always been there, and students come out to protest on issues that move them.”

During the protest, the students also read aloud the Preamble of the Constitution outside the Andrews Court in the college premises. Students of other colleges like Lady Shri Ram College and Miranda House also reportedly boycotted their classes on the call given by Stephen's students to raised their voice against the recent attacks on universities.

The rare sight evoked warm praise from famous Stephen’s alumni on Twitter.