Demonstrators at JNU displayed banners condemning US policies in the Middle East, particularly its support for Israel, amidst ongoing conflict in Gaza…reports Asian Lite News
The visit of US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi has reportedly been postponed following protests by the university’s student union expressing solidarity with Palestine, media reported.
Demonstrators at JNU displayed banners condemning US policies in the Middle East, particularly its support for Israel, amidst ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The School of International Studies had scheduled Garcetti’s interaction on Monday afternoon under the theme “The Most Consequential Relationship of the Century: US-India Ties.” However, members of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) criticized the decision to invite Garcetti, citing it as antithetical to the university’s principles of justice and human rights.
JNUSU’s statement denounced US backing for Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict, emphasizing the union’s unwavering solidarity with Palestine and condemnation of Israeli actions in Gaza.
As of now, the JNU administration has not issued an official statement regarding the rescheduling of Garcetti’s visit or the concerns raised by students. This development coincides with widespread pro-Palestine protests across top universities in the US, initially sparked at Columbia University and subsequently spreading to other states.
These protests emerged in response to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza following Hamas activity on October 7 last year. Nearly 900 individuals have been arrested amidst police crackdowns on these demonstrations, reflecting the global resonance of the Palestinian cause and increasing scrutiny of international relations surrounding the conflict.
Meanwhile, demonstrations against Israeli military action in Gaza are spreading on major university campuses across the US, with hundreds arrested, as the protracted conflict in Gaza has become a humanitarian catastrophe.
On Saturday, at least 22 Palestinians were killed and several others injured due to Israeli airstrikes on central and southern Gaza, according to Palestinian sources.
Recently, a total of 69 protesters attending a pro-Palestine protest on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus, the main campus of the public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area, were arrested for “violating university policy.”
The protesters were arrested early on Saturday “for trespassing after they set up an unauthorised encampment, in violation of university policy,” said a statement released by the university, Xinhua news agency reported.
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