December 14, 2024 13:46 (IST)
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JNU on the boil: Army officers threaten to return degrees, Yechury meets Rajnath
New Delhi, Feb 13 (IBNS): India's premier seat of higher education, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), is roiled by protests and counter protests with the police cracking down on students over the anti-India slogans raised earlier to mark the death anniversary of Parliament Attack convict Afzal Guru on its campus in the national capital.
With tension rising, several former army officers wrote to the varsity that they would return their degrees from JNU if it becomes a hub of anti-national activities while on the other hand various groups, including the Leftists, slammed the government for pushing an RSS-BJP agenda by crushing the students over the incident of slogan-shouting against India, which they called was an aberration.
Ex-servicemen of the 54th NDA course said they find it difficult to be associated with a university which has become a hub of anti-national activity, and would therefore be constrained to return "our prized and well earned degrees to your esteemed institution if such activities are allowed to be conducted inside the University Campus."
"We the proud fraternity of Ex-servicemen of the June 1978 Batch of National Defence Academy, who are proud recipient of the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts Degree from your esteemed University, are today constrained at the ongoing anti-national activities on your university campus like celebration of Afzal Guru day, and consider it an affront to be equated with the present student fraternity of the university which is indulging in such anti national activities.
"We the patriotic Retired Officers of the 54th NDA course, feel that the present activities in the JNU campus negate the sacrifices made by the past degree holders of your esteemed university," they wrote in a letter to the varsity.
Meanwhile, 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 Afzal Guru, 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.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and urged him to not persecute the innocent students of the JNU over the anti-India slogans by few, after the students' union leader of the premier varsity was arrested and slapped sedition charges.
Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D Raja along with JD(U) leader KC Tyagi met Rajnath Singh who had earlier warned of strong action against those shouting anti-India slogans.
"We have told the Home Minister that what is occurring there is worse than Emergency. He assured us a probe," said Yechury.
He said all students should not be painted anti-national and the footage should be properly scanned before action.
He said if JNU is anti-national then one should not forget that the best IAS, IFS and other top government officials also were former students of the university.
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 Fridaycondemned 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 also warned of severe consequences for those raising anti India slogans in the JNU premises.
Delhi Police said after an incident of anti India slogans was reported, 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.
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.
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