‘BHU students should not give in to partisan politics & violence’

LUCKNOW: Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi has said that it is natural for the students of the Banaras Hindu University to feel angry over harassment of girls on the campus. But, they must stay away from partisan politics and violence. Rather they should stay united and build safer educational spaces and, in turn, a safer India.
He added, “When it comes to ensuring the safety of students on the campus, the onus is on the educational institutes.Speedy and strict action should be taken in such cases, apart from remedial measures to prevent a repeat in the future.”
Satyarthi, who was in Lucknow on Saturday as part of his Bharat Yatra against child sexual abuse and child trafficking, told TOI that the nation must unite for the safety of children.
As for the public response, Satyarthi said, “It has been unprecedented, both in terms of sensitization and mass mobilization, and also in terms of policy announcements by chief ministers. So far, over 8 lakh people have marched with me in Bharat Yatra. It’s amazing to see how the issue of safety of children can unite the nation.”
Satyarthi already has set goals for himself, once the Yatra gets over on October 16. “Our aim is to make at least 1 crore Indians take a pledge that they will continue to fight against this crime. We will try to make such groups a sort of a safety net for children,” he said.