December 27, 2024 11:35 pm (IST)
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Anti-India slogan: JNU on the boil, police cracks down on campus
New Delhi, Feb 13 (IBNS): Several students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi have been barred from academic activities over the incident of anti-India slogans within the campus in support of hanged Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, said reports, even as tension ran high on the campus after a students' union leader was arrested over sedition charges and police searched for more student suspects in the slogan shouting.
The arrested student leader is Kanhaiya Kumar, who is the president of the JNU students' union- the left-leaning All India Students Federation (AISF).
In police custody now, he has been charged with sedition. While senior ministers of the ruling BJP have said they would not tolerate anti-India slogans, the AISF said Kanhaiya's arrest is at the instigation of the BJP student wing ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parisad).
"The arrest in the JNU is threat to the future of democracy in the country," said AISF, holding that the present government has made its face clear by the action.
JNU campus has been on the boil since a protest march was organized to protest the hanging of Afzal Guru and for the right of "self-determination of Kashmiri people".
Police action began after the anti-India protest was reported by the BJP student wing AVBP and a lawmaker.
Meanwhile, the JNU administration on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor has issued a statement on the incident.
"Along with the Deans Committee, the University takes serious note of the incidents on campus on the evening of February 9th. A high-level enquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the matter and take appropriate action as necessary. While the JNU community upholds the right to free debate on campus, the University strongly condemns the use of the University as a platform for activities that violate the Constitution and the laws of the land," it said.
"However, there could be aberrations where fringe sections misuse the freedom provided. While that problem would be appropriately addressed in this case, the University would also take steps to protect the academic atmosphere and the environment for vibrant discussion that JNU has always provided and stands for," it said.
"All sections of the JNU community including representatives of the students, teachers and karmacharis have assured that they uphold the values and ethos of this University. It is an appeal to all sections to go beyond this incident and return the campus to normalcy," it said.
Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani on Friday condemned protesters who raised anti-India slogans in the JNU premises and said any insult to India in any form would not be tolerated.
Speaking to reporters, Irani said: "Any insult to Mother India will not be tolerated."
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has warned of severe consequences for those raising anti India slogans in the JNU premises.
Singh took to Twitter to express his anguish.
He wrote, "If anyone shouts anti India slogan & challenges nation's sovereignty & integrity while living in India, they will not be tolerated or spared."
"Whatever has happened in JNU is extremely unfortunate. I have instructed Delhi CP to take strong action against the anti-India elements," Singh wrote.
Delhi Police reported an incident of anti India slogans being heard within the JNU campus. A case of sedition and criminal conspiracy was registered by them on Thursday evening.
The slogans were a part of protest, marking the hanging of fringe leader Afzal Guru, prime accused in the 2001 Parliament attack who was hanged in 2014.
BJP lawmaker Mahesh Guru, who reported the incident was quoted by NDTV as saying, "Students are supposed to be the future of the country. Am scared of our future now."
He wrote, "If anyone shouts anti India slogan & challenges nation's sovereignty & integrity while living in India, they will not be tolerated or spared."
"Whatever has happened in JNU is extremely unfortunate. I have instructed Delhi CP to take strong action against the anti-India elements," Singh wrote.
Delhi Police reported an incident of anti India slogans being heard within the JNU campus. A case of sedition and criminal conspiracy was registered by them on Thursday evening.
The slogans were a part of protest, marking the hanging of fringe leader Afzal Guru, prime accused in the 2001 Parliament attack who was hanged in 2014.
BJP lawmaker Mahesh Guru, who reported the incident was quoted by NDTV as saying, "Students are supposed to be the future of the country. Am scared of our future now."
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