On Tuesday, the Gujarat unit members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held protests across the state against the Lavanya suicide case in Tamil Nadu. ‘Lavanya wants Justice’, they chanted as they demanded justice for the Hindu girl who died after being pressured from a Christian Missionary run school to convert to Christianity.
According to the reports, the ABVP is staging protests all over the nation to seek justice for the Hindu girl, Lavanya. Earlier in the day, the ABVP members protested outside the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi and slammed the state government for covering up the case and suppressing the voice of those who are demanding justice. This is after the Tamil Nadu Police arrested ABVP activists who demonstrated outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Chennai.
DMK Govt. of Tamil Nadu used police to arrest the National Gen. Secy. Nidhi Tripathi & other Karyakartas for demanding #JusticeForLavanya in Chennai.
— ABVP (@ABVPVoice) February 14, 2022
We condemn this attempt by DMK led Govt., You can’t suppress our voice by using police. We will fight till Lavanya gets justice. pic.twitter.com/snpaWmRZ4g
On February 14, ABVP National Gen Sec Nidhi Tripathi, National Sec Muthu Ramalingam, Southern Province State Sec Sushil and other activists were arrested for staging protests outside the CM MK Stalin’s residence in Chennai. The ABVP condemned the incident and said that the DMK led govt was using the Police to triumph over the demonstrators. “You can’t suppress our voice by using police. We will fight till Lavanya gets justice”, it tweeted.
Releasing a statement in the case, the ABVP said that Nidhi Tripathi and Muthu Ramalingam were detained yesterday and produced before a magistrate at midnight after which they have been sent to 14-day judicial custody. “The charges against them are non-bailable. We’ll continue to struggle nationwide for the Hindu girl and will also protest against the illegal arrest of our members in Tamil Nadu”, it added.
प्रैस विज्ञप्ति (https://t.co/YRFd6JSqiK)
— ABVP (@ABVPVoice) February 15, 2022
लावण्या आत्महत्या मामले में तमिलनाडु सरकार के सांप्रदायिक तुष्टिकरण के विरोध में अभाविप का देश भर में प्रदर्शन
लावण्या को न्याय मिलने और गैरकानूनी तौर पर गिरफ्तार हुए कार्यकर्ताओं की रिहाई का संघर्ष जारी: अभाविप#JusticeForLavanya pic.twitter.com/Zg3A7ZGXcz
In the massive protests held against Lavanya suicide case, ABVP’s National Sec Gajendra Singh Tomar and Prerna Pawar were also arrested by the Police. National Sec of ABVP, Jit Singh condemned the act and said that the behaviour of the Tamil Nadu government in the Lavanya case was unfortunate. “Lathi-charging the peaceful protesting students and implicating them in wrongful cases shows the intention of the Tamil Nadu govt. We are not going to be afraid of these repressive policies. We will continue to push for justice for Lavanya”, he added.
Meanwhile, ABVP’s Sakshi Singh stated that the voice of justice for Lavanya is coming from every corner of the country. “Students in educational institutions across the country are fighting for justice for Lavanya. This fight is not about a girl student, but for all the students who face harassment for conversion across the country,” she said. “ABVP has called for protests across the country today and if our karyakarats are not released, these protests will continue across the country,” she added.
यह लड़ाई एक छात्रा की न होकर, देश भर के सभी छात्र-छात्राओं की है जो मतान्तरण के लिए प्रताड़ना को झेलते हैं। अभाविप ने आज देश भर में विरोध प्रदर्शन किया है तथा यदि हमारे कार्यकर्ताओं को नहीं छोड़ा गया तो यह प्रदर्शन देश भर में जारी रहेंगे।”#FightForLavanya#JusticeForLavanya
— ABVP (@ABVPVoice) February 15, 2022
According to the statement, the ABVP is intensely demonstrating in various parts of the country including Bhopal, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Port Blair, Agartala, Ranchi, Jalandhar, Jammu, Shimla and Patna. It has affirmed that it will continue to raise voices until Lavanya is given justice.
It is worth noting that Sahaya Mary the prime accused hostel warden in the case was granted bail yesterday by the Thanjavur District Court and was felicitated by Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) MLA Inigo Irudayaraj on her release from the Trichy Central jail.
Lavanya was a 12 standard student at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. On January 19, she had committed suicide by consuming pesticides after being forced by the school to convert to Christianity. The Tamil Nadu government, media and police had tried to suppress the conversion angle in the case and had ignored the dying declaration, prompting her family to approach the HC seeking a CBI inquiry.
As reported earlier, the government had filed an SLP with the apex court through the DGP challenging validity of the HC decision. The DGP had also challenged the remarks of the Madras High Court against the State Police for their inaction and lack of concerted effort in investigating the angle of conversion. However, the Supreme Court has rejected the petition and allowed CBI investigation in ongoing Lavanya suicide case.
