Page 11 - Aruba Today

WORLD NEWS A11
Indians protest in Delhi over student’s death, sedition case
Indian students shout slogans during a protest in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. Thou-
sands of students and teachers are gathering in the heart of the Indian capital to protest the re-
cent death of a student due to caste discrimination and the arrest of a student leader on sedition
charges in New Delhi.
NIRMALA GEORGE
Associated Press
NEW DELHI (AP) — Shouting
slogans and holding plac-
ards, thousands of students
and teachers marched
through the heart of the
Indian capital Tuesday to
protest the recent death of
a student who faced caste
discrimination and the ar-
rest of a student leader on
sedition charges.
The protesters from New
China radars reported in Spratly Islands
C. BODEEN
Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) — China’s For-
eign Ministry on Tuesday
reasserted Beijing’s right
to develop its South Chi-
na Sea island outposts fol-
lowing a U.S. think tank’s
report that China has built
new radar facilities in the
disputed Spratly Islands.
Citing commercial satel-
lite imagery, the Center
for Strategic and Interna-
tional Studies, or CSIS, said
the radars on the outposts
Delhi’s two main universi-
ties marched near the Indi-
an parliament, demanding
the student’s immediate
release and condemning
violence by supporters of
the ruling Hindu nationalist
party.
Kanhaiya Kumar, president
of Jawaharlal Nehru Uni-
versity’s student union, was
arrested earlier this month
over his participation in
events where anti-India slo-
of Gaven, Hughes, John-
son South and Cuarteron
reefs could be key to help-
ing Chinaestablish effec-
tive control over the strate- Beijing rejects the accusa-
gically vital area’s sea and
airspace.
China has been building
islands on top of reefs and
atolls it controls, then add- Foreign Ministry spokes-
ing air strips, harbors and
other infrastructure that
would help consolidate
its control. Five other gov-
ernments also hold mari-
time claims that overlap
Wednesday 24 February
slogans and waved Indian manded Kumar in custody
flags. until March 2. Five other
“We will not tolerate attacks students who face similar
on freedom of speech,” allegations are expected
‘’BJP government come to to surrender to police later.
(AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) your senses,” and “Down In Srinagar, the main city
with the BJP government” of Indian-controlled Kash-
the protesters shouted as mir, dozens of students in
they marched to the ac- the University of Kashmir
companiment of drums. marched in the campus
The turmoil that has in solidarity with protesting
gripped JNU has led to criti- JNU students.
cism that the Modi govern- Kashmir University students
ment is attacking freedom also demanded the release
of expression and dissent, of Delhi University lecturer,
with the academic com- S.A.R. Geelani, arrested last
munity condemning the week on sedition charges
ultra-nationalism promoted for organizing an event in
by Hindu nationalist groups. Indian capital where anti-
“This is the result of the BJP’s India slogans were alleg-
concerted attacks on stu- edly shouted along with
dents. The BJP has a single- criticism against the 2013
point agenda to wipe out secret hanging of a Kash-
all opposition,” said Shehla miri separatist convicted of
Rashid, a JNU student. attacking the Indian Parlia-
A New Delhi court has re- ment.
gans were allegedly shout-
ed. Opposition politicians
who addressed the rally
accused Prime Minister Na-
rendra Modi’s government
and his Bharatiya Janata
Party of suppressing free-
dom of expression and fan-
ning communal tensions.
Hundreds of policemen
stood silently as the stu-
dents, joined by thousands
of teachers, journalists and
ordinary citizens, shouted
with Beijing’s, and the U.S.
has said it is concerned
about China’s militarization
of the area.
tions, saying it is merely in-
stalling defensive measures
on islands, primarily for civil-
ian purposes.
woman Hua Chunying said
she had no specific infor-
mation about the CSIS re-
port, but said China had
undisputed sovereignty
over the area.