New Delhi: JNU students union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on Friday in connection with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy over holding of an event at the prestigious institute against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
The case was registered yesterday under Section of 124 A (sedition) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC against unknown persons at Vasant Kunj (North) Police station following complaints by BJP MP Maheish Girri and ABVP.
“Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested in connection with the case,” a senior police official said.
Two policemen in plainclothes came to the JNU campus on Friday and picked up Kumar for questioning. He was later arrested, sources said.
A group of students on Tuesday held an event on the JNU campus and allegedly shouted slogans against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013.
The event occurred despite varsity administration having cancelled the permission following a complaint by ABVP members, who termed the activity “anti-national”.
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 further action.
Left parties on Friday questioned the arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and asked Delhi Police to not act in “connivance” with ABVP to target the “entire Left” even as they likened the ongoing developments in the varsity campus to “situations during Emergency”.
The Communist parties also condemned raising of anti-India slogans by “certain” elements and asked police to take action against those concerned in accordance with law, but not target members of students’ wings of the Left front.
“As a political party, we condemn any anti-India slogans. If law enforcing authorities want to act against those elements, let them do it in accordance with law. But in the name of taking action against such elements, they should not target entire Left students’ bodies,” CPI national secretary D Raja said.
“By targeting general students, they (ABVP) are creating a sense of terror in the campus. Delhi Police should not act in connivance with ABVP, targeting the entire Left,” he said.
He said Kumar, besides being JNUSU president, is a member of All India Students’ Federation (AISF) — students’ wing of CPI — which, he added, has a “glorious” history and had played key role in freedom movement.
“Where was the ABVP then (during freedom movement)? Kanhaiya is a JNUSU president, but he is also AISF leader. They (police) should know which organisation they are dealing with,” he said.
CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also expressed concerns over the developments and said the actions against students resembled “situations during Emergency”.
“What is happening in JNU? Police on campus, arrests and picking up students from hostels. This had last happened during Emergency,” he tweeted.
Kanhaiya was arrested on Friday in connection with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy over holding of an event at the prestigious institute against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
— PTI
