The Resistance at JNU: A Student's Daring Plan During the Emergency
During India's Emergency, JNU students evaded arrest by locking themselves in hostel rooms, outsmarting the police and paramilitary forces during a massive raid. Historian Sohail Hashmi recounted the stealthy plan and its execution on July 8, 1975, which successfully protected many from detention, although he was among a few arrested.
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In a remarkable act of defiance during the Emergency, students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) devised a clever plan to evade arrest by locking themselves in their hostel rooms. This strategy proved crucial during a significant police and paramilitary crackdown on the entire campus.
Historian Sohail Hashmi, then a secretary of the Students' Federation of India, recalled how the plan unfolded on the night of July 8, 1975. "We anticipated the raid, thanks to tips from some intelligence agents among us," Hashmi recounted. The students constructed an intricate room-switching network that kept possible arrestees shielded from the authorities.
As the raid commenced after midnight, JNU became a fortress with police forces surrounding it. An elaborate plan allowed many students to evade capture, although Hashmi was among those detained. He credited the support of faculty members in securing bail for those arrested. The Emergency, declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, lasted until March 1977, stifling dissent across India.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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