#ReleaseProfessorRatanLal: Students' protest against arrest of Hindu College professor today

NEW DELHI: Demanding for the immediate release, the All India Students Association (AISA) of the Delhi University have been protesting continuously outside Cyber Cell, Maurice Nagar station against the "illegal detention" of DU’s Hindu College associate professor Ratan Lal. He was arrested on Friday night for his "objectionable" social media post referring to claims about a 'Shivling' found inside Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque complex.

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aishe on Twitter wrote, “Stand with Prof. Ratan Lal. Release Prof. Ratan Lal immediately. SFI along with other student organisations protested against the sudden arrest of Prof. Ratan Lal from his house at midnight. Condemn the State Terror.”(sic)

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#ReleaseProfessorRatanLal has also started trending on social media. The students association (AISA) has also called for a protest for the immediate release of Hindu College Professor Ratan Lal today at 11 AM. The poster issued by the students group read, “Stop terrorizing Dalit voices!”

AISA calls for protest against "illegal detention" of Hindu College professor Ratan Lal

After the arrest, a group of students gathered outside the Cyber Cell, Maurice Nagar station last night demanding the release of Professor Ratan Lal.

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An FIR was lodged against Hindu College professor Ratan Lal on Tuesday night based on the complaint filed by a Delhi-based lawyer. In his complaint, advocate Vineet Jindal said Lal had recently shared a "derogatory, inciting and provocating tweet on the Shivling", as per the PTI report.

Ratan Lal had said, "In India, if you speak about anything, someone or the other's sentiment will be hurt. So this is nothing new. I am a historian and have made several observations. As I wrote them down, I have used very guarded language in my post and still this. I will defend myself," the report added.