PM Modi's promises are a 'tamasha': Kanhaiya Kumar's top 10 quotes at JNU

The JNUSU president last night launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and those he described as persons 'who attempt to silence students at JNU'

Returning to the JNU campus after being released from Tihar Jail on Thursday, JNU Students Union (JNUSU) President, Kanhaiya Kumar, gave a rousing speech where he took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and rival student union — Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).  

"We are not seeking ‘azaadi’ (freedom) from India. We want ‘azaadi’ within India,” Kumar said while addressing a crowd of 2,500 at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus late on Thursday evening. 

Business Standard takes a look at a few barbs that the leader hurled at the Centre and those who ‘attempt to silence students in JNU’.  

On Narendra Modi

I have many differences with the PM, but I agree with his tweet Satyameva Jayate because these are words in our Constitution

Today the honourable PM was talking about Stalin and Khrushchev, I say Modiji speak about Hitler too sometimes. Or maybe Mussolini?

They say black money will come back, sabka saath sabka vikas, equality and all that.

Of Tamashas and Jumlas 

Yes, we Indians forget things too soon, but this time the tamasha is too big. These jumlas won’t be forgotten.

On Speaking Up

What will happen if you speak up? Their cyber cell will release doctored videos and count condoms in your dustbins

On ‘Azaadi’

We are not seeking 'azaadi'(freedom) from India. We want 'azaadi' within India

On Rohith Vemula 

This attack is to delegitimise the UGC protests, to prevent justice to Rohith Vemula(the Dalit scholar in Hyderabad who committed suicide

You want to silence one Rohith, today look how big that revolution has become

On silencing JNU 

Let me just say it is not easy to get admission in JNU neither it is easy to silence those in JNU

On ABVP 

We truly believe in democracy and Constitution. We don't look at the ABVP as an enemy, we look at them like the Opposition

On Soldiers' deaths

I want to ask the BJP lawmaker who said in Parliament that soldiers are dying on the border - is he your son or brother? He is the son or father of the farmer who is dying of drought. Do not create a false debate in this country. Who is responsible for their deaths?

Attacking the Centre 

I want to remind our government that 69% voted against you. Just 31% voted for you and some of them were caught up in your jumlas

On RSS and dissent 

RSS wants to suppress the voice of dissent. The more you suppress us we will stand up more. It is a long fight. We will continue fight without bowing down. We have created history we will create history. We will fight. We will win.