After receiving her MA degree and medal at the Jadavpur University convocation on Tuesday, December 24, student Debosmita Choudhury took out a copy of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and ripped it into pieces on the stage.
“Hum kagaz nahi dikhayenge (We will not show IDs). Inquilab Zindabad,” Debosmita, a student of International Relations, declared before picking up her degree and walking off the stage.
She said she chose to “dump” the CAA document at the podium where the Vice Chancellor, Pro-Vice Chancellor and registrar were seated.
“Let there be no confusion. I am not showing any disrespect to Jadavpur University. I am proud to be awarded this degree at my favourite institution. But, I chose this podium to register my protest against CAA… my friends are on a sit-in near the gate of the convocation venue,” she told the media.
It is these women who are revolutionizing India
After receiving the gold medal at the #JadavpurUniversity Convocation. #DebsSmitaChaudhary tore the Citizenship Law Amendment (CAA) on stage. #NRC_CAA_Protest @ComradeMallu pic.twitter.com/ea8pOs1Ng5— Comrade Rinse Kurian (@rinse_kurian) December 24, 2019
Debosmita said some of her friends refused to receive degrees from the Vice Chancellor in protest against the citizenship law. Arkoprobho Das, another student, said that some 25 of his batchmates did not go to the podium to collect their degrees.
“We wore the convocation gowns, but when our names were called we did not go to the podium. This is our way of protesting,” he said.
Earlier that day, Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s car was surrounded by protesters as he tried to enter the university for the convocation.
Jadavpur University has been among the centres of protests in Kolkata against the citizenship law.
The CAA facilitates Indian citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants, who are minorities and fled religious persecution in neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Those protesting against the law call it unconstitutional as they believe it discriminates against Muslims and is therefore against secular principles.
