Voices Silenced: Students, Teachers Beaten in Protest
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Delhi police allegedly used lathi charges against educators, students, and job seekers who challenged the purportedly incorrect administration of the Staff Selection Commission examinations in the wake of a horrific event that caused nationwide outrage. Calling for transparency, accountability, and justice in the hiring process—one plagued with several instances of document leaks, cancellations, and technical mistakes—the protest outside the SSC headquarters asked for justice. What started as a peaceful protest swiftly evolved violent when reports surfaced claiming police had deployed force to disperse the crowd. Social media videos of police arresting, dragging, and physically attacking both male and female protesters show the episode. Witnesses and participants claim they were greeted with “batons instead of replies” when they tried to voice their objections about the SSC’s defective system. Some youngsters were seen fleeing or being forced into police cars as the protest became more violent. Held to highlight the uncertainty around the most recent SSC Phase 13 examination, the protest drew a great many teachers and future SSC students. Rising resentment among applicants who have spent years preparing for these challenging recruitment exams has been fueled by claims of pervasive cheating, paper leaks, and server problems during online tests. Many have advised repeating the damaged tests rather than giving them up. One of the protestors, a B. Ed candidate studying for the SSC examinations for four years, expressed her fury, saying, “We are not criminals; we are only here for justice. One protester said, “It’s the same story every year—leaks, mistakes, delays,” adding, “Is this how the system treats its future teachers and government employees? But we are now being penalised for speaking up. ” This is a democracy, right? Many teachers sided with their students at the demonstration. “The students aren’t seeking jobs without cause,” they stated, condemning the police for employing too much force and the government for failing to offer a fair and safe testing process. They simply want to be treated fairly. A senior teacher present at the demonstration said their inability to be silenced save through violence shows the faults of the system. Following the incident, opposition leaders and education advocates used social media to express their unhappiness about the government’s handling of the protest and the ongoing SSC problems. Many have demanded a full investigation and severe penalty for those responsible for the claimed irregularities in the SSC recruiting process and the paper leaks. Hashtags such as #JusticeForAspirants and #SSCFailure went trending on social media channels soon after the event. Many student organizations have criticized the police operation and called for national demonstrations in support of the SSC candidates. In a statement, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) charged the government of “criminal negligence” in its management of the SSC exams and “brutality” in its treatment of unarmed protesters. The group said it would arrange marches in major locations on the next days. But mostly, the SSC has stayed silent on the subject. According to a brief SSC official statement, the commission is “looking into the issue” and would “take appropriate steps should any discrepancies be found. ” Still, this has done little to calm student rage as many view the announcement as a shallow and inadequate response to a seriously flawed system. Legal experts have also commented, observing that the Constitution protects the right to peaceful protest and that the usage of lathi-charge against unarmed people, especially students, should be probed for possible human rights abuses. Once again under examination as a result of the event is the reliability and openness of India’s top recruiting companies. For hundreds of thousands of applicants, these tests stand for years of effort, hope, and a road to a better future—not just examinations. Not only did recent developments destroy that aspiration for many, but also they revealed fundamental weaknesses in India’s supervisory and regulatory system. Hopeful they will take bold action to guarantee justice is served rather than suppressed, the SSC and central government are under constant scrutiny as they face growing protests and demonstrations.
