Milpitas(California)The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) strongly condemns the reported detention of students who were participating in a protest at Panjab University against an event featuring Sadhvi Ritambara.Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director of NAPA, said the students should not be treated as criminals for expressing their views on a university campus.
“These are our students, our children, and the future of Punjab. A university is a place for debate, critical thinking, and democratic expression. Peaceful protest is not a crime.”According to reports, students were protesting an event on the Panjab University campus where Sadhvi Ritambara was the main guest. Chahal stated that many people view her as a controversial figure whose public speeches have been criticized for promoting communal polarization and hate.
“When students raise concerns about a speaker they believe represents divisive and hateful ideology, the appropriate response is dialogue and engagement—not detention and intimidation,” Chahal said.NAPA expressed deep concern over the use of police action in response to student dissent and warned that suppressing peaceful protest undermines the democratic values that educational institutions are expected to uphold.
“Punjab has a proud history of standing for justice, freedom of expression, and resistance to injustice. Silencing young voices sends a dangerous message to students across the state and the country.”Chahal urged the Panjab University administration to protect the institution’s tradition of academic freedom and ensure that campuses remain spaces where differing opinions can be expressed without fear.
NAPA has called upon the Punjab Government, the Panjab University administration, and law-enforcement authorities to immediately release any students detained solely for participating in a peaceful demonstration and to ensure that their constitutional rights are fully protected.“Democracy is strengthened by debate, not by detentions. The youth of Punjab deserve to be heard, respected, and protected. NAPA stands firmly with the students and their families and calls for restraint, dialogue, and full respect for civil liberties,” Chahal concluded.