NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the police action against protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Sansad Chalo” march.He alleged that students were brutally beaten despite offering no resistance.Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said videos circulating on social media showed police using force against unarmed students, including young women who were pleading with folded hands.“I think history has never witnessed an incident of this kind. So many videos are circulating on social media. There are numerous videos in which students are pleading with the police. There are many videos showing young women pleading and folding their hands before the police, yet the police continue to beat them,” he said.“There are also several videos showing unarmed students being beaten without any provocation. I saw one video in which two or three police personnel were standing by, and as students walked past, they struck each one with batons. The students were doing nothing. They were not attacking anyone. Yet they continued to beat every student who passed by,” Kejriwal alleged.Stepping up his attack on the Narendra Modi-led government, the former Delhi chief minister claimed the police action was unprecedented.“The way the Modi government attacked the children and youth of our country… even the British government would not have lathi-charged freedom fighters to such an extent. Students were begging the police to stop while they were being beaten,” he alleged.Kejriwal also announced that the AAP has launched a dedicated helpline for students and protesters booked in connection with Monday’s protest march.“Students who have cases registered against them or those requiring legal or medical assistance can contact the helpline. The Aam Aadmi Party will extend all possible support,” he said.The remarks came a day after Delhi Police stopped CJP protesters marching towards Parliament during the Monsoon Session, leading to clashes, detentions and allegations of excessive use of force.Police have registered an FIR over the violence and alleged vandalism during the protest, while the CJP has accused the force of carrying out a brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators.He also visited Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital to meet those injured during the protest and announced a legal and medical assistance helpline for affected students.“We have been informed that, except for one girl, everyone else has been discharged. All the injured students and all the injured police personnel have been discharged. One girl is in the ICU and is in critical condition,” he said.Kejriwal also said he would visit Parliament Street Police Station after the hospital visit amid reports that several students were untraceable.
