Kanhaiya Kumar attacked at JNU by suspected outsider

New Delhi, Mar 10 : JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is facing sedition charges, was allegedly attacked on campus today by a youth believed to be an outsider. According to students and teachers present there, the attacker called Kanhaiya for an interaction when he was attending the “nationalism” lecture at the varsity’s administration block. “Kanhaiya went to a corner to talk to him where the boy started abusing him and following the argument he slapped him.

Seeing this, many students and univesity’s security guards rushed to rescue him,” a student said. The varsity’s security got into action and took the accused to the nearest police station where he has been detained for questioning, a police official said, adding his identity is yet to be verified. Kanhaiya faces sedition charges in connection with an event on campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

He was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court last week after spending 18 days in jail. The students and teachers of the varsity had expressed apprehension about Kanhaiya’s security after he was attacked by a group of lawyers in Patiala Court premises on February 17. The Delhi police has asked the varsity authorities to intimate them about Kanhaiya’s movements outside the campus. A man who claimed to be the president of “Purvanchal Sena” had last week announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for anyone who shoots Kanhaiya. He was later arrested.

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JNU celebrates Kanhaiya’s return to campus with ‘cautious optimism’

JNU is celebrating students union president Kanhaiya Kumar’s return from jail, but the celebration is marked by an awareness that their friends Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya are still imprisoned and the world perhaps views the university suspiciously.

“The mood in the campus is one of cautious optimism. It was a celebration when Kanhaiya was released, but the talk among my friends since then has been about the bail order and what it reflects, particularly since Umar and ban are still in jail. I have had conversations with friends wondering what we can do to make the common public outside the campus understand that we are not anti-nationals,” says Nivedita Kapoor, a PhD student.

For the moment, though, all talk on campus is centred around Kanhaiya’s fiery speech. Discussions in dhabas and tea stalls on Friday revolved around this, with students recounting the punch-lines Kanhaiya delivered.

“Even after coming out of jail, he took on the government, heads on. It takes guts to do that,” said an MPhil student from the Centre for Political Studies. “His speech raised the right issues and highlighted how the BJP government has failed to deliver any promises, especially where where he talked about how the BJP won people over with Har Har Modi and how the same people are now angry about ‘Arhar’.

As Kanhaiya stepped in to the administrative block also known as Freedom Square, students cheered and shouted slogans of ‘Lal Salam’. Everybody was keen to shake hands and congratulate their leader.

The press conference afterwards was a huge success too. A large number of students turned up to hear their leader. Some of them even wore a T-shirt with Kumar’s picture to express their solidarity.

“What a speech he gave, a new leader has emerged. We have to thank the BJP government for they have made our President even stronger,” said a Phd student who did not wish to be named.

Post all the action, the administrative block became more lively with new posters of ‘Stand with JNU’, messages to their jailed friends and cartoons made by students adorning the walls. Some students sat in groups and shouted ‘Lal Salam’ and ‘Azadi’ slogans.

Many students from Brahmaputra hostel, where Kanhaiya’s room is located, turned up at the block because he hadn’t yet visited the hostel. “We have not been able to meet him as he has not come back to the hostel. But we are looking forward to hear from him,” said Abhay Seth, who lives in Brahmaputra hostel.

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How BJP Student Wing Reacted To Kanhiya Kumar, Who Trended Worldwide

New Delhi:  Kanhiya Kumar's speech, delivered last night at the Jawaharlal Nehru University or JNU, where he pledged his commitment to fighting for "azaadi (freedom) not from, but in India" catalyzed him into a worldwide trend on Twitter.  The nearly one-hour -long address  was fiercely critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government.  Unsurprisingly, students from the ABVP, the youth wing of the ruling BJP, aren't impressed

Mr Kumar, President of the Left-affiliated JNU Students Union, was arrested on sedition charges last month, forging an international debate on whether  the government is using the charge of "anti-national" as a fig leaf for cracking down on dissent and free speech.

Mr Kumar has denied making anti-India remarks at a rally at JNU in February, after which he was arrested. Footage of Mr Kumar that was televised by some news channels has been declared doctored by a forensic lab that was asked to examine the video by the Delhi government.

"Nobody is anyone's enemy here, everybody sits together and has tea as we  discuss our ideologies, but if anyone is going to do sloganeering against our country we would react," said Saurabh Verma, General Secretary of the BJP's student wing at JNU. It was on the basis of an ABVP complaint that a BJP parliamentarian filed a police case last month, leading to the jailing of Mr Kumar after a controversial police raid on campus to find him. Two other students from JNU are still in prison. 

Mr Kumar, 28, has been given bail by the Delhi High Court with a list of conditions that include a commitment to not participating "actively or passively in any activity which may be termed anti-national". 

Mr Sharma  said that the Delhi government's inquiry, which clears  Mr Kumar of making inflammatory remarks, is not the last word on the case. "Kanhaiya  Kumar has got conditional bail; we believe in the workings of the court, we are waiting for the final result," he said.


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Arun Jaitley takes on Rahul Gandhi, writes ‘How much does he know – when will he know’

Hours after Congress vice president slammed Narendra Modi government in the Lok Sabha over a host of issues, BJP leader and Union Finance Minister​ Arun Jaitley took on Rahul Gandhi writing a scathing blog on Facebook titled - ‘How much does he know – when will he know’.

Taking on the Congress leader for criticizing Prime Minister Modi, Jaitley said that the PM not only 'works hard and involves himself in the functioning of the various departments of the government, but inspires his team to work harder than we would have normally'.

Jaitley added that after hearing Rahul he felt that India had made the right choice between 'the Prime Minister who leads the government and a Prime Minister who is merely implementing decisions taken elsewhere'.

The FM also said, "Shri Rahul Gandhi’s views are shaped by the environment of a political party which has evolved into a ‘crowd around a family’."

The Congress vice president, shri Rahul Gandhi, has claimed that the Prime Minister hardly consults his senior ministers. If shri Rahul Gandhi is to be believed, then smt Sushma Swaraj is not consulted on the Pakistan policy, shri Rajnath Singh was unware of the Nagaland accord and, presumably, I am unware of the Budget proposals.

As one evolves from a young to a middle-aged one, we certainly expect a certain level of maturity. The more I hear shri Rahul Gandhi, the more I start wondering “how much does he know – when will he know”.

The Prime Minister should be the natural leader of the party and the government. In the NDA it is so. The UPA was quite different. The Prime Minister is to lead by example. The present Prime Minister not only works hard and involves himself in the functioning of the various departments of the government, but inspires his team to work harder than we would have normally. Each one of us, whether the External Affairs Minister, Home Minister or myself, are responsible for each important decision taken by each of one departments. We do not by-pass the Prime Minister who is always available for consultation and guidance. After hearing shri Rahul Gandhi, I think India has made the right choice between the Prime Minister who leads the Government and a Prime Minister who is merely implementing decisions taken elsewhere.

Shri Rahul Gandhi’s views are shaped by the environment of a political party which has evolved into a ‘crowd around a family’. The UPA model of governance was that if a person outside the family is the Prime Minister, he should be reduced to being a figure-head. Given a choice between a ‘hands-on’ Prime Minister or a ‘nominal’ head, I would unhesitatingly choose the former.

Rahul today launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and his government over the "fair and lovely" scheme on black money and the raging trouble in JNU and Hyderabad University.

In acerbic remarks on Modi's style of functioning, the Congress VP accused him of not listening to anyone's opinion including that of his ministers and MPs.

"You have been taught by your teachers in the RSS that there is one truth in the universe - your own and nobody else's opinion matters," he told the treasury benches while speaking on the motion of thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha.

"The Prime Minister cannot run the country with his opinion alone.  The country is not PM and PM is not the country," he said in a 40-minute speech during which Modi was absent.

Attacking the scheme on black money announced in the budget on Monday, Gandhi said, "Nobody who has black money will be jailed under Modi's 'Fair and Lovely' scheme.  All those who have black money can make it white under this scheme," as per PTI.

Recalling Modi's promise of putting people with black money behind bars, the Congress leader said the government had instead come up with a way to help such people.

He was referring to the one-time four-month compliance window announced by Jaitley under which people with domestic black money can come clean by paying 45 percent tax and penalty and get immunity from prosecution.

Gandhi was sharply critical of the government over the turmoil in Delhi's JNU and maintained that student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been charged with sedition, had not uttered a single word against the law but was behind bars while the "real culprits" were roaming free.

Questioning Modi's silence over the JNU episode, Gandhi said that he had not uttered a single word when teachers and the media were attacked in the Patiala House court complex in the capital when Kumar was brought there for a hearing. "Which religion teaches to assault teachers," he asked.

Gandhi said that 60 per cent of students in JNU belonged to dalits, minorities and OBCs.  40 per cent of them came from a poor background.

"Why are you after the JNU? Because dalits and adivasis study there and you don't want them to grow. But we will not let this happen. We cannot crush the JNU," he asserted in the course of his speech interrupted by the ruling NDA members.

Referring to the suicide of dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in the Hyderabad Central University, Gandhi said that the PM had not bothered to call his mother.

He also attacked Modi's Pakistan policy and accused him of releasing  that country from a "small cage" in which the UPA government had put it through its diplomacy by suddenly visiting Lahore to have tea with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

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JNU row: HC asks police to file status report of probe in Kanhaiya case

Delhi high court on Tuesday directed the city police to file by Wednesday a status report of its investigation in the sedition case in which JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested.

The court's direction came while hearing Kanhaiya's bail plea which was opposed by Delhi Police.

As soon as the hearing commenced before Justice Pratibha Rani at 10.30am, the bench said, "Are you filing a status report? If you were aware, you should have done it."

Additional solicitor general (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the police, told the bench that they were opposing the bail plea of Kanhaiya.

At this juncture, the bench said, "What about the status report. If you do not have the status report, I will not proceed. Ask your investigating officer to file the report."

ASG Mehta, however, told the bench that they will file the status report in a sealed cover as "this is a pre-charge sheet bail and the status report cannot be shown to the accused."

To this, the bench observed, "I do not need it in a sealed cover. You will have to file it. Issue notice. File the status report by tomorrow."

The bench, however, clarified that the status report will be limited to the extent of bail only.

As the matter commenced, senior standing counsel of Delhi government advocate Rahul Mehra opposed the appearance of ASGs Mehta and Sanjay Jain and lawyer Anil Soni, saying before appearing in the matter they should show notification in this regard.

"If they don't have the same (notification) they cannot stand on their legs before this court," Mehra told the bench.

elhi high court on Tuesday directed the city police to file by Wednesday a status report of its investigation in the sedition case in which JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested.

The court's direction came while hearing Kanhaiya's bail plea which was opposed by Delhi Police.

As soon as the hearing commenced before Justice Pratibha Rani at 10.30am, the bench said, "Are you filing a status report? If you were aware, you should have done it."

Additional solicitor general (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the police, told the bench that they were opposing the bail plea of Kanhaiya.

At this juncture, the bench said, "What about the status report. If you do not have the status report, I will not proceed. Ask your investigating officer to file the report."

ASG Mehta, however, told the bench that they will file the status report in a sealed cover as "this is a pre-charge sheet bail and the status report cannot be shown to the accused."

To this, the bench observed, "I do not need it in a sealed cover. You will have to file it. Issue notice. File the status report by tomorrow."

The bench, however, clarified that the status report will be limited to the extent of bail only.

As the matter commenced, senior standing counsel of Delhi government advocate Rahul Mehra opposed the appearance of ASGs Mehta and Sanjay Jain and lawyer Anil Soni, saying before appearing in the matter they should show notification in this regard.

"If they don't have the same (notification) they cannot stand on their legs before this court," Mehra told the bench.

Advocate Mehra, however, said, "They have crossed the 'laxman rekha' and I will not allow this unless the court passes an order. I am appointed by the full court reference of this high court."

Mehra also contended that the status report in this matter has to be filed by the Delhi Police commissioner and he has to clarify his stand as he had earlier said that the police will not oppose Kanhaiya's bail plea.

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If Kashmiri secessionists think the JNU agitation has boosted their chance for independence, they're terribly wrong

The government’s inept handling of the situation in JNU has given a fillip to secessionists in Kashmir. A lot of Kashmiris, including some in leading positions, have got the impression that substantial support for Kashmir’s independence struggle has become apparent across India.

They think the upsurge of middle class opposition to the arrest of JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar actually signifies support for them. They have this impression since the entire imbroglio got going over a function to observe the anniversary of Afzal Guru’s hanging on 9 February – and several television channels have projected all backers of free speech as supporters of Guru.

In actual fact, a very large proportion of those who support the students’ agitation have focused on the political motivations behind the government’s approach to the issue. Its target was the entire 'Left-liberal’ 

intellectual class and the ethos of JNU, rather than any actual wrongdoing.

It is now obvious to even the most blinkered right-wing nationalists (except perhaps those with an implacable political mission) that Kanhaiya Kumar did not raise anti-India slogans. Those who had anything to do with what happened at JNU already knew it from the outset. I was able to establish it through a couple of telephone calls to students the day Kanhaiya was arrested. I was told that his role that day had been to try and make peace between the agitated ABVP group, the crowd of sloganeers, and the security men.

The Delhi Police nevertheless arrested him last Friday, and promptly charged him with that most politically loaded crime, sedition. This means one of two things: either they are thoroughly incompetent, and lacked information about what had actually happened at the University (the second is unlikely), or their actions were dictated by political considerations.

Perhaps it was a bit of both, but there is little doubt that some strategists in the government seized the opportunity to try and paint the 'Left', and indeed the entire gamut of liberal and intellectual opinion in India, as `anti-national.’ That muddied the waters.

Students across the country, and Indian students studying elsewhere, were flabbergasted. There was an upsurge of public support for the JNU community. Most of that community united to agitate for Kanhaiya’s release and against state repression.

One student (the daughter of an outstanding army officer) who attended the march in the heart of New Delhi on Thursday told me she had nothing to do with politics and only wanted to study. But now, deeply upset over Kanhaiya’s arrest, she wanted to understand political issues.

Very little of the pan-India support for JNU endorsed the anti-India slogans raised on 9 February. But apologists of the government and several media channels projected support for JNU as support for Guru. One channel ran two labels on either side of its screen. Clips of all those who spoke for the freedom of expression, the right to dissent, or against police raids on campuses were run under the `pro Afzal’ label.

By and large, this sort of media projection seemed acceptable only to the ruling establishment’s core nationalist support base – except in Kashmir. There, large numbers got the impression that a significant proportion of Indians now support freedom for Kashmir. This is a tragic denouement. The government will have a tough time dealing with the consequences.

On Friday, a week after Kanhaiya had been arrested, there were signs that the government had moved to plan B: Kanhaiya would be released on bail next week if they could arrest Omar Rashid, the leader of the Democratic Students Union, by then.

Meanwhile, with hope still alive that a PDP-BJP government might be formed in Jammu and Kashmir in March, it appears that the Kashmiris who actually raised the slogans will still not be touched. I refer to the two specific slogans that were constantly parroted by `nationalists’ in various stages of televised apoplexy, to target Kanhaiya, JNU, the `Left,’ liberals and other defenders of free speech as `anti-national.’

They finally took a break when it was revealed on Thursday that Kanhaiya had been framed with fudged audio on video footage of him. That is when Plan B seems to have come up: Omar Rashid is to be demonized instead of Kanhaiya. That already began the moment it became clear that the 'evidence’ against Kanhaiya had been doctored.

If this is indeed Plan B, it’s a bad one. It might turn out worse for the sort of future the conservatives backing it want than Plan A has been. It could turn Rashid into a youth icon for another wave of protests. In the bargain, it would bring the radical ideas that Rashid represents into public focus.

If this putative Plan B is handled as ham-handedly as has been the targeting of Kanhaiya and JNU, that might even give life to what is so far no more than a hope in Kashmir, that secession has support among many ordinary Indians.

Of course, the intelligence to make workable plans is not generally associated with the right wing of the human brain. But the government would be well advised to stop digging itself deeper and deeper into the mess it has made.

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JNU row: ABVP hit hard by Rohith Vemula and Kanhaiya Kumar incidents

Jawaharlal Nehru University was in the news about six months ago too, but for an altogether different reason. There was strong buzz of a Saffron surge in what was considered a Left bastion, thanks to the impressive performance of the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in the student union elections.

But now ABVP appears to be on the back foot in the JNU campus where the majority student opinion seems to be in favour of Kanhaiya Kumar, the president of JNU students union who has been arrested on charges of sedition, even splitting the ABVP ranks on 'liberal' and 'hardline' camps. 

Explaining the ABVP's predicament, an office bearer of its JNU unit said, "Many new students joined us after the BJP came to power in the Centre, partly influenced by Narendra Modi and partly because they thought being in power we will be able to get additional funds released for constructing hostels — a major concern not resolved by the ruling left. Some also thought they will be able to get jobs as professors. However, today, the unit is riddled with differences— some are liberal, hardline—due to the way in which the government handled the Rohith Vemula and Kanhaiya Kumar episodes." 

Vemula, a Dalit student at Hyderabad Central University, had committed suicide last month purportedly over caste discrimination. It is this inability to sensitively handle the two issues that took away last year's momentum in ABVP's favour in JNU campus.

Similar arguments were given by three ABVP office bearers who resigned on Wednesday night. The joint statement mentions their inability to be "mouthpieces of a government which has unleashed oppression on the student community". 

According to the ABVP office bearer quoted earlier, resentment began to build after the "mishandling" of the Vemula episode and peaked after Kumar's arrest and what followed. 

"We had suggested having a Manusmriti burning event to answer all the left parties' allegations about us. But there were disagreements within. Some said it (Manusmriti) has both good and bad things, so we should we not burn it. In the current issue, the ShutDownJNU hashtag was also supported by the JNU unit (of ABVP)," he said. "How will we be able to counter the left on campus this way?" As politically unaffiliated third-year graduate student of Russian, Upasna Vashishtha said, "Nobody supports the anti-national slogans. But how does the ABVP not oppose Kanhaiya Kumar's arrest? There is no evidence against him. Also, because of this entire controversy, we are being called anti-nationals. My aunts called up to ask why I am studying in a university such as this." This is a strong adverse turn for the ABVP on campus. 

According to ABVP's JNU unit president Alok Singh, it had only around 25 active members in 2013, which increased to 40-50 in 2014, but in 2015, the number increased to more than 100. The ABVP won one of the four posts on the central panel of the students' union after 14 years, and came second in two. Before that, it had won a post in the central panel in 2000 when current BJP member Sandeep Mahapatra won the post of president. 

JNU students' union comprises a central panel of four elected members and each of the schools and centres has separate posts and polling. ABVP rarely wins the central panel, but has its own "vote bank" in schools teaching natural sciences where it wins some seats.

ABVP's attempt at mounting a campaign against "anti-national" elements on JNU campus — it released the February 9 event's videos to news channels — appears to have backfired with the opposition's 'Save JNU' campaign creating more buzz than ABVP's 'JNU for Nationalism' campaign. Kumar's arrest and violence inflicted on him and media persons by a mob, including a BJP MLA, at the Patiala House Court.

Speaking with ET, ABVP JNU unit president said, "The politics that happened in this matter has been a little wrong. I accept that. The debate was never about JNU versus ABVP nor should it ever be. It was about anti-nationalism on campus. But this campus has been Lalgarh (red bastion). We ABVP activists are (say) 50, but what those 500 (left activists) talk to students' matters.

They are spreading rumours. Since we brought up this issue, it has become a matter for their survival. So, everybody, students and teachers' unions, have ganged up against us." 

ABVP JNU secretary Lalit Pandey, however, said, "Those with a nationalist approach are still with us. Campus politics is fine. But our politics is for the nation and we are receiving support outside, across the country."

He regretted that the issue had changed from Afzal Guru event speeches to "Saving JNU" and Kanhaiya Kumar, but insisted that ABVP is for JNU since it organised three marches by the name of 'JNU for Nationalism'. 

The ABVP office bearer quoted earlier, though, strongly differed with Pandey. "The Parishad has tried hard to dominate the campus, but left control is still not easy to shake off. This time the organisation went too far, and entire country looks at the university as anti-national now. This has hit student perception about us seriously," he said. 

Rival unions are latching on to this. "At the recent march to Jantar Mantar, students who are not members of any unions were giving out red roses to ABVP joint secretary in JNUSU Saurabh Sharma saying, 'Don't spread hatred'," CPM-affiliated Students' Federation of India's JNU unit secretary G Suresh claimed. "Nearly 4, 000 students from JNU participated in the march. This shows the entire campus is against their campaign," he said. 

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Journalists and teachers join JNU protests, govt tries to douse fire

The government said it was willing to discuss in Parliament a police crackdown against a controversial meeting of Jawaharlal Nehru University students, but protests continued on Tuesday in a row that has also seen attack on journalists and teachers by right wing activists.

“The government is ready to walk the extra mile to ensure discussion in Parliament on all issues raised by the opposition,” said parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu after an all-party meeting ahead of the Budget session, during which opposition parties raised a host of issues including the protests at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Groups of students, journalists and teachers gathered for protests in Delhi on Tuesday after they were allegedly assaulted on Monday evening outside the Patiala House court hearing a sedition case against a JNU student.

Hundreds of JNU teachers went on strike to protest the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, the JNU Students’ Union president who was remanded in custody at a Monday hearing, which was marked by violent scuffles outside the court where fellow students and journalists had gathered to witness his appearance.

Journalists marched till Supreme Court to protest the attacks on them outside the Patiala House Court. They shouted slogans in support of freedom of expression and alleged the Delhi Police had failed to protect them on Monday. A delegation of journalists also met home minister Rajnath Singh.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Wednesday plea seeking action against those involved in the violence at Patiala House.

At JNU, teachers joined students in boycotting classes to press for Kumar’s release.

‘Kick them out’: HT journalist recounts mob attack in a Delhi court

“The teachers went on strike today. Some 500 teachers have gathered near the university’s administrative block with banners to show their solidarity with the students,” said Om Prasad of the All India Students Association (AISA).

“They are demanding the immediate release of Kanhaiya and withdrawal of all the cases,” he told AFP.

Academics at foreign universities extended support. “As teachers, students, and scholars across the world, we are watching with extreme concern the situation unfolding at JNU and refuse to remain silent as our colleagues (students, staff, and faculty) resist the illegal detention and autocratic suspension of students,” said a statement posted on a blog run by academics and signed by 455 scholars, many of them JNU alumni of Indian descent.

Outside the university, scores of people demanded the demanded the arrest of those who shouted anti-India slogans at an event on the campus last week. The protestors--said to belong to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal--also demanded the shutdown of what they said was “anti-national” administration of the varsity.

Carrying saffron flags and shouting slogans like ‘JNU prashasan bandh karo (Shut down JNU administration)’, the protestors said those who raised anti-India slogans at an event organised on February 9 to commemorate the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru should be arrested.

“Arrest those ant-national elements,” shouted one of the protestors as he tried to break through a barricade at the university entrance.

“Our protest is in favour of the nation,” he told IANS.

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JNU row: Rahul Gandhi says Modi government 'terrified of weak Indian people who raise their voice' Modi and Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi, hit out at the Modi government as he spoke in JNU and accused the government of being anti-national. He was quoted saying by ANI: "They are terrified of weak Indian people raising their voice. They do not understand that by crushing you they are making you stronger. People who showed black flag on my face, I feel proud that in my country they have the right to show black flag in front of my face."

He added: "You must question them at every single step. Question yourselves also. Look inside yourselves & question yourselves. Later, a Minister turns around and says he was not even a Dalit. Sushma Swarajji nobody askd whether he ws Dalit or nt,ques is why wasn't Indian students allowed to say &fight for what he believes

When we fought the British, we fought them for our land and we fought them for our voice I came here to tell you, there are more than billion people in country who believe what you believe in & standing right behind you. The most important thing we have is the voice of our people."

He was also quoted saying: "What is anti-national? Most anti-national people are those suppressing the voice of students in JNU."

Earlier, the Congress hit back in the JNU row, accusing the Narendra Modi government of being anti-JNU and targetting Left and progressive forces. "This govt is anti-JNU & wants to shut down the Univ. They're using this as a trigger to target Left-liberal & progressive forces," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari tweeted. In an apparent reference to the arrest of JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar, Tewari said, "Law of sedition is very clear & they'll never be able to substantiate charges under the sedition law."

Tiwari insisted that "freedom of speech and expression is circumscribed by reasonable restriction". Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders who have criticised the arrest of the JNU student leader, BJP had earlier alleged that they were speaking in the voice of terror outfit LeT which was an "insult" to the martyrs and would boost the morale of anti-national forces.

ABVP members at JNU didn't take too kindly to Rahul Gandhi's visit as they waved black flags at the Congress VP. They also shouted: "Rahul Gandhi go back." Earlier, Rahul Gandhi added his voice to the debate saying that while 'anti-India sentiment is unacceptable, debate is part of a democracy.

He said: "While Anti-India sentiment is unquestionably unacceptable, the right to dissent & debate is an essential ingredient of democracy. Modi Govt & ABVP bullying an institution like JNU simply because it won't toe their line is completely condemnable."

Agitated over the arrest of JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar in a case of sedition over an Afzal Guru event in the varsity, the students and teachers condemned the action against Kumar as "uncalled" for. Alleging that the students are being "witch-hunted" and police is targeting them mindlessly, the students continued with their protests outside the Vice Chancellor's office demanding the administration's intervention into the manner in which students are being compared to "terrorists" and picked up from campus by policemen in plain clothes. The students also claimed that their parents are asking them to quit the university in view of the "vitiating atmosphere" at Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU).

"The police is mindlessly patrolling the campus and the students are being witch-hunted and demonised for doing nothing. What is the proof that Kanhaiya was there among those raising anti-India slogans? Has he been spotted in any picture or video? Why are all JNU students being given 'anti-national' certificates. We condemn the arrest," said JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid Shora.

A member of the All India Students Association (AISA) said, "Why is the administration not protecting students against this selective targeting by ABVP. Why police have been given such a free hand to rashly pick students from campus? Why were the cops not uniformed? If there has to be an inquiry, why no protocols are being followed?" Shivani Behl, a student at varsity's School of Social Sciences said, "my parents today asked me to quit the university and go back to my hometown in Bihar as the varsity's atmosphere was very vitiating". JNU Teacher's Association (JNUTA) issued a statement terming the "excessive police action" as an attack on the varsity which is known for its democratic ethos.

"The JNU teaching community is extremely concerned at threat to democratic ethos, which has played a critical role in assuring that university serves its social function and secure its position as one of the premier institution of higher education," it said. President Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in a sedition case over an event at the varsity's campus against hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, sparking massive outrage among students and criticism from non-BJP parties which dubbed it as an "emergency-like" situation. Meanwhile, after receiving an interim report from its disciplinary committee probing the involvement of the students at the event, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) debarred eight students from academic activities pending a disciplinary enquiry.

Earlier in the day, Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Rajnath Singh had advocated strong action against those who were involved in the alleged "anti-India" act even as the students continued with their protests on the campus for the third day, saying they are being "witch-hunted". The students said their parents are asking them to quit the university in view of the "vitiated atmosphere" at the varsity.

The arrest of Kanhaiya, a day after police filed a sedition and criminal conspiracy case on complaints from BJP MP Maheish Girri and ABVP members, was later remanded in three-day police custody by a local court. After the arrest, the varsity students and teachers protested outside the Vice Chancellor's office demanding the administration's intervention into the manner in which students are being compared to "terrorists" and picked up from campus by policemen in plain clothes during alleged raids.

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Pro-Afzal Guru sloganeering: JNUSU fight gets intense, AISA denies making anti-national slogans

Who raised anti-national slogans in Jawaharlal Nehru University on 9 February? As the campus virtually turned into a battleground on Friday with the right wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and a section of the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and the Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA) on opposite sides, the question begs for an answer.

The JNUSU and AISA have claimed of not having any involvement in the entire episode of hailing Afzal Guru as a “martyr”.JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid through her WhatsApp message said, “We the JNUSU office-bearers are appalled at the way uproar has been created over the 9 February happened in the campus. We condemn the undemocratic slogans that were raised by some people on that day. In fact, when the sloganeering had been taking place, it was the Left-progressive organisations and students, including JNUSU office-bearers, asked the organisers to stop the slogans, which were regressive. What is happening here at JNU is a repetition of Hyderabad Central University.”

She said: “JNUSU president has been arrested. Police are doing rounds of the campus and mindlessly witch-hunting activists. RSS is running campaigns to shut down JNU. No JNU student ever raised any unprincipled slogan in the campus. Don’t you think it’s wrong to arrest JNUSU president? If tomorrow there’s Congress government in power and JNUSU president is from ABVP, what would happen? It has set a bad precedent.”

Reacting sharply to the statements of JNUSU and AISA members, Saket Bahuguna, Delhi, state secretary of ABVP said, “Debate on what -- whether Afzal Guru should be hailed or not? Can any Indian stoop so low as to raise 'anti-India' slogans and hail terrorists involved in Parliament attack that killed our own people as 'martyrs'? It’s ridiculous. All such anti-national students should immediately be arrested and JNU campus should be made free of such elements.”

Earlier, students affiliated to the ABVP had staged a rally at India Gate demanding immediate arrest of the “anti-national elements” in the JNU campus. This was in response to a rival protest on campus by other unions.

After Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s instruction to take stringent action against the “anti-national” elements in the campus, the Delhi Police have detained JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar.

“Anti-national activities and forces won’t be tolerated. Anyone raising anti-India slogan or questioning India’s integrity won’t be spared. Government will take tough measures,” Singh had said earlier in the day.

The students' union leader has been booked for sedition, even as protests were going on outside Delhi demanding action against the protesting students. The police have claimed that Kumar was seen in a video in which people were allegedly raising anti-national slogans. Kanhaiya’s arrest has already made JNUSU members angry. They have got into a war of words on social media and WhatsApp.

However, such incidents like the one happened on 9 February is nothing new in the JNU campus. Earlier too, debates and discourses were held on Naxalism and on Afzal Guru.

“Earlier too, Afzal Guru had been discussed and was hailed as a ‘martyr’ in the campus. ABVP is flexing muscles with the support of the Central government, but that’s not the JNU tradition. In JNU we arrive at rational positions through debate and discourse. ABVP could have called an all-organisations’ meeting or University general body meeting on this issue,” remarked Rama Naga, general secretary, JNUSU.

ABVP has demanded the government to identify all the students who raised slogans in favour of Afzal Guru from the video footage and arrest them.

What happened on 9 February?

The controversy at JNU erupted on 9 February when some students had pasted posters across the campus inviting people to a protest march against the "judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt" and in solidarity with the "struggle of Kashmiri people for their democratic right to self-determination" at the varsity's Sabarmati dhaba.

During demonstration, students holding placards bearing Afzal Guru’s photos shouted anti-national slogans, hailing Guru as a ‘martyr’.

A video of the said incidents shows students, including boys and girls, holding placards displaying photos of Afzal Guru raised slogans and hailing him. The Delhi Police have claimed that one of students in the group was JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar. “That’s why he has been detained. The probe is on,” a police source said.

The members of ABVP objected to the event and wrote to the vice-chancellor that such protests should not be held on the campus of an educational institution, prompting the university administration to order the cancellation of the march as they "feared" it might "disrupt" peace.

The JNU administration has already instituted a "disciplinary" inquiry as to how the event took place despite withdrawal of permission and said it will wait for the probe report before taking any further action.

“JNU administration has nothing to do with that incident and no permission was taken to hold such a demonstration. The administration has initiated an inquiry into the issue,” an administrative official of JNU told Firstpost on the condition of anonymity.

The incident and the follow up protests by ABVP have eventually turned JNU campus a ground for political battle.

While CPM leader D Raja 'strongly condemned' the arrest of the JNUSU president, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju said, "Those living in our country and still raising such slogans against the nation is not acceptable. We take such incidents very seriously.”

The police have also booked Delhi University professor SAR Geelani for sedition and issued a summons to him, CNN-IBN reported.

However, the Congress party has strongly criticised the incident.

“UPA government carried out Afzal Guru's sentence after due process for 13 December 2001 Parliament attack. No one should eulogise him,” party communication department chief, Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.

“The shameful incident of 9 February has exposed the ulterior motives of Left-backed students’ unions like AISA, SFI and AISF, who hailed a traitor and terrorist as a ‘martyr’. Instead of paying tribute to our Indian soldiers and martyrs, they chose Afzal Guru, Maqbool Bhat and Naxalites above them. Government must take strongest action against such anti-national and pro-Pakistani elements in the campuses. ABVP will continue to hold protests and demonstrations across the country,” said Shreerang Kularni, in-charge, national media & PR, ABVP.

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JNU, Afzal Guru and liberté: Freedom of speech is not an unfettered right

I start this piece with an anecdote going back to 2008-2009. The UPA government was in power and I was working with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Driving through Delhi’s VVIP area, I noticed over a period of several months a strange development — small cars and jeeps sporting yellow number plates of taxis with black and white silhouettes of a personality who became a symbol of Punjab’s secessionist movement. An event that led to the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi. In fact, he continues to be an inspiration for Khalistan supporters till date. Stickers of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the man who took on the Indian State from within Amritsar’s Golden Temple and who was eventually killed in Operation Bluestar in the summer of 1984, on glasses on cars zipping through the city.

Surprised to see such brazen display of support for Bhindranwale, I mentioned it to a senior official in the security establishment. He looked surprised and said, “Some people have Bhagat Singh stickers for inspiration and others have Bhindranwale.” I questioned if a terrorist and a person who was taken on by the Indian Army for waging war against the State could be openly venerated. There was silence. I then asked what the police or security establishment would do if I were to drive around with a sticker of Osama bin Laden on my car. Now, he remarked, I will have to check that.

Our conversation ended there and now, over six years have gone by. Since last year I have noticed that these stickers have now become more explicit. Full length stickers of Bhindranwale with a bhaala or spear in one hand are now pasted on glasses of taxis and people drive around with those, quite happily, with no policeman detaining them and or even investigating the provocation for such stickers to be flaunted.

Some will argue that sporting such stickers is harmless. How does it matter if cabs sport such stickers? After all, the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression. And by that same argument, some would argue today argue that JNU’s students were doing no wrong if they organized a meeting to honour Afzal Guru who was accused of plotting an attack on the Parliament in 2001 and whose death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court of India. Similarly there's nothing wrong if the Press Club of India premises were used to hold another such meeting where reportedly anti-India slogans were raised, they would argue.

Freedom of speech and expression are not unfettered rights. Every right has limitations. In the name of intellectual freedom people cannot be allowed to hold public meetings to honour men who worked against the State and its institutions. The Vice Chancellor of JNU was misled by organisers of this meeting where slogans were raised in memory of Guru and against the Indian State. And JNU is a Central University which is funded by the government and is not a private institution.

Can an institution allow such an activity or meeting? While the debate has taken a typical BJP versus others tone here, in the UK similar debate is in progress about the role and responsibility of universities that could be seen as soft on terrorism. A controversial Counter-terrorism and Security Act 2015 has been viewed by some as violative of human rights as guaranteed by the European Human Rights Law and is likely to face legal challenges.

Under the law, universities in the UK have been issued guidance which makes it incumbent on academics to check students spreading radical ideas, monitor them and to not provide a platform to radical speakers. Vice Chancellors have been asked to submit reports about preparedness to implement such guidelines and failure to follow guidelines would invite action.

Currently a major debate is in progress across academic circles on and off UK campuses on whether these guidelines impinge on academic freedom. To address such concern revised guidelines were issued to Universities in September last year that would allow “radical” speakers space if at the same time there is a speaker present who counters such an argument there and then.

In the case of JNU event there was no academic discussion that was underway. Instead it was a meeting where anti-India slogans were raised. Such a meeting to be organized on the campus of a government-funded university is certainly far from lawful. Anyone who believes such a meeting should have been allowed must be asked if public gatherings honouring LTTE’s Prabhakaran, India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim or Hafiz Saeed of JeM fame should be given permission next.

In the pre-9/11 days Britain proud of its democratic traditions allowed anyone and everyone to pitch tents in the UK and openly abuse and call for removal of governments abroad. Khalistan groups and LTTE were proudly hosted in London. Freedom of speech and expression were unfettered to such an extent that even radical Muslim clerics were allowed to hold sermons in UK mosques where they called for an overthrow of British governments.

The events of 9/11 and attacks on London underground changed all that.

The JNU Students Union president has been arrested on Friday on sedition charge and he has claimed innocence. He said, there were outsiders who came in and raised anti-India slogans. The cops must investigate the case and punish the guilty.

But, a democratic right that needs to be cherished and protected must not be allowed to be misused in the name of freedom. There is a line that divides right to have academic debate and support to terrorism or the idea of terrorism, that should not be violated or allowed to be. If it is, then the law must come into play.

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