JNU row: There should be no 'Taliban culture' in India, say ABVP leaders after resigning

 

"JNU is the most nationalist institution in the country. I do not support the government's stand over the issue. Let Supreme Court find Kanhaiya Kumar guilty and award him life imprisonment. But let the law take its course. There should be no 'Taliban culture' in India," said Pradeep Narwal, former Joint Secretary of JNU unit of ABVP.

Pradeep Narwal, Joint Secretary of JNU unit of ABVP, Rahul Yadav, President of ABVP unit of JNU's School of Social Sciences (SSS) and its Secretary Ankit Hans, had yesterday resigned from the BJP student wing, saying they "cannot be mouthpiece of such a government which has unleashed oppression on student community".

"We are going to fight for JNU. If law find Kanhaiya guilty, let him be punished. If Umar Khalid is guilty he should be jailed. But do not attack the entire university, students and teachers. Let there be space for voices of dissent," he added.

Ankit Hans, said, "We had ideological differences with the party over the issue so we decided to disassociate ourselves. We want to stand for the university as students and not political leaders of an outfit, whose stand is not acceptable to us".

While the ABVP senior leaders are claiming that the three students have been "influenced" to protest against the party and divert the whole issue, Hans said, "This is our individual decision. We have not done this under anybody's influence.

In a hard-hitting resignation letter, the trio had yesterday said, "We think there is a difference between interrogation and crushing ideology and branding entire left as anti-national. We cannot be mouthpiece of such a government which has unleashed oppression on student community."

"Every day we see people assemble at front gate with Indian Flag to beat JNU student, well this is hooliganism not nationalism, you can`t do anything in the name of nation, there is a difference between nationalism and hooliganism".

The three students, however, maintained that they will not join the ongoing strike by the students demanding release of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.

He was arrested on Friday last in connection with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy registered over holding of the event at the varsity during which anti-India slogans were alleged to have been raised.

Members of the ABVP had objected to holding of the event following which Vice Chancellor had withdrawn the permission for it. However, the organisers had gone ahead with the event.

JNU row: Kanhaiya Kumar 'beaten' in court complex, sent to judicial custody; SC asks Bassi to ensure safety

 

Not only Kumar, several journalists were again beaten up by a section of lawyers at the Patiala House Court - much like what happened on Monday - before the JNUSU president was brought there.

The court directed Delhi Police and the superintendent of the Tihar jail to ensure his safety. 

The JNUSU president has been booked under sedition charge in connection with an event at JNU where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised last week. He was arrested by Delhi Police on February 12.

I do not support anti-national activity​, says Kanhaiya Kumar​

Kanhaiya Kumar told the court that he was attacked by a group of people wearing black robes while he was being escorted by police to the court room. The leftist All India Students Federation (AISF) leader was arrested on February 12 on after anti-India slogans were raised at an event held at the JNU campus on February 9 to commemorate the execution of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. 

Kanhaiya Kumar, in a statement leaked to the media, appealed to students to maintain calm and said he does not support anti-national activity. 

He condemned the February 9 event at the JNU and said those who shouted the allegedly anti-national slogans included "some people from JNU and a section of outsiders". 

Kanhaiya moved to Tihar Jail, kept under high security

Kumar was tonight taken to Tihar Jail and kept in a separate cell, following which authorities have sounded a high security alert inside the prison complex, and are keeping a round-the-clock watch for the safety of the student leader.

"Kanhaiya who was brought to Tihar at around 8 pm has been lodged in a separate cell of ward number 4 of jail number 3. Two Tamil Nadu Special Police personnel have been deputed to keep a round-the-clock watch over him and ensure his safety," said a senior Tihar official, as per PTI.

"In view of the prevailing tension over sedition charges being faced by Kanhaiya, maximum vigil will be maintained and a high security alert has been sounded to ensure all the precautions and measures are taken to prevent any untoward incident," the official said.

SC asks  Commissioner of Police​ to ensure safety

On the other hand, a team of senior lawyers today told the Supreme Court, which had asked them to get a first hand assessment, that situation at the Patiala House Court was 'unprecedented' and there was an 'atmosphere was of fear and terror'.

Senior lawyers including Kapil Sibal, Indira Jaising and advocate Prashant Bhushan, drew the attention of the bench of Justices J Chelameswar and A M Sapre to the "extra-ordinary" situation in Patiala House Court where security and safety was under threat.

They also informed the apex court that JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar was "manhandled" while being produced in court.

The court stepped in to rush a six-member panel of advocates appointed by it to Patiala House courts in the afternoon after it was apprised of fresh incidents of violence involving persons in black robes.

The lawyers team gave an oral report mentioning that there was a total breakdown of law and order in which Kumar was 'manhandled'.

The bench then made it clear that 'the responsibility is exclusively is that of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to ensure the safety of the accused'.

The court had earlier in the day given a slew of directions and limited the entry of lawyers, journalists and others in the court premises in the wake of violence on Monday when scribes, teachers and students of JNU were thrashed by the lawyers.

Intelligence agencies name 4 suspects behind JNU anti-India event

 

Anirban Bhattacharya, Riazul Haq and Rubina Saifee, the four students of JNU, have been named by intelligence agencies as suspects behinf organising pro-Afzal Guru event at the JNU campus as well as participating in anti-India activities.

All the four JNU students are said to be members of democratic student union, which is considered to be a frontal organisation of CPI-Maoists.

According to India Today report, intelligence agencies have claimed that these four students activists used to work on the instructions of Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba, who is currently lodged at Pune central jail, on charges of having links with Maoists.

Reports said that democratic student union member Omar Khalid had submitted an application to Jawaharlal Nehru University administration, seeking permission to organise a cultural evening in the campus on February 9. He was granted permission by the JNU administration.

Posters were put across the campus by the student body inviting the university students to participate in the event. However, a complaint was filed by ABVP members before college administration alleging that pro-Afzal Guru event was scheduled to be held by JNUSU, following which JNU administration cancelled its permission for the event.

Despite JNU administration cancelling its permission to allow the event in the campus, the DSU went on to organise the cultural evening at JNU campus.