A group of students, gathered with a common motive – to show solidarity with the students of Jadavpur University who were subject to violence without any provocation; to raise awareness amongst the junta about the incident and to demand justice for the girl who was wronged. A few hours of preparation and the group had found within itself creative poster-makers, able administrators and overall motivated individuals. And it all culminated on the 24th in a silent march from New SAC to the IIT Gate, with candles and posters.
It was 7:30 pm when a steady trickle of students from all batches and all halls started gathering at OAT, IIT Kanpur and before long, the group had grown to about 120. Posters, black bands and candles in hand, under the able and headstrong leadership of Samarth Bansal along with the enthusiastic participation of the charismatic students, the three kilometer long march began, in deafening silence. The posters and the discipline made many people join in en route. However none of this would have been possible without the admirable efficiency of the SIS guards on campus, who were there at every step of the way, organizing the walk, controlling the traffic and ensuring that the entire march was smoothly conducted.
Upon culmination, the students placed their candles on the road and met media personnel near the gate to express their views on the event. The students reiterated their demands for justice and expressed hope that an impartial investigation into the events of the 28th of August would take place. Let us hope the march for justice does indeed make justice see the light of the day.
Written by Sharbatanu Chatterjee and Archish Mazumdar
