Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 23: The Indian Army on Friday debunked claims circulated by a Pakistan-linked propaganda social media account alleging that the military had launched a “crackdown on the Cockroach Janta Party”, resulting in two deaths and seven injuries.

In a fact-check posted on social media, the Army clarified that the account had used an old photograph of security personnel handling a students’ protest at Jamia Millia Islamia University in south Delhi to spread misinformation and tarnish the image of the armed forces.

The Army said the account had falsely claimed that the alleged crackdown took place on the morning of October 23 and had also suggested that the military had taken a stand against Generation Z.

“Pakistan-linked propaganda account is circulating fake allegations that the Indian Army launched a crackdown on the Cockroach Party, on the morning of October 23, leaving seven youths injured and two dead. The Pakistan account with fake Indian name also falsely suggests that the Indian Army has taken a stand against Gen Z,” the Army said in its fact-check.

Clarifying the origin of the footage, the Army said the original video showed security agency personnel handling a hunger strike demanding the restoration of the students’ union at Jamia Millia Islamia University on October 17. No casualties were reported during the incident, it added.

Meanwhile, Jamia Millia Islamia has constituted a committee to draft the Constitution of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), in furtherance of Article 23(J) and (K) of the Jamia Millia Islamia Act, 1988, a university official said.

According to a statement issued by the university’s Chief Public Relations Office, the committee will examine the circumstances that led to the dissolution of the students’ union in 2006, relevant court rulings concerning the JMISU and the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee of 2007.

The need for a comprehensive examination of the matter arises from the fact that the university’s last students’ union was dissolved in 2006.

Several developments have taken place over the past two decades, making it necessary to review the issue in the context of the prevailing legal and institutional framework, the statement said.