JNU row: ABVP leader claims Kanhaiya raised anti-national

JNU Students' Union Joint Secretary and ABVP leader, Saurabh Kumar Sharma, today claimed that Kanhaiya Kumar had raised "anti-India slogans" and participated in the February 9 event to commemorate the death of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
He also said that five videos sent by Delhi government and examined by the Hyderabad-based Truth Labs are original wherein "anti-India and pro-Afzal slogans were raised".
Addressing reporters here, Sharma alleged that three office-bearers of ABVP's JNU unit had quit owing to "pressure from the communist-mindset professors who target those with nationalist views", and expressed hope that they will join again.
"As a responsible citizen of the country, I would like to tell that I, along with several others, have seen and heard him raise anti-India slogans and he also took part in a rally during the event and addressed the gathering," Sharma said responding to a query on JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar's claims that he did not raise any anti-India slogans and was not part of the said event.

Kanhaiya, who was arrested under sedition charges, is currently out on a conditional bail.
Reacting to a query that forensic probe of a set of video clippings of the controversial event has found that two videos (out of seven) were "manipulated", Sharma said, "As per information available with me, one of the doctored videos showed ABVP members raising pro-Pakistan slogans".

"Videos are not the only evidence...The statements of eye-witnesses and ours who had seen and heard the anti-India slogans at the event, will be the first priority," he said underlining that the matter is sub-judice now.
He said the ABVP office-bearers resigned owing to "pressure from communist-mindset professors who target those with nationalist views".

"They resigned on social networking site and we have not received any resignation letter from them. They did it (resign) owing to pressure from communist-mindset professors and keeping in mind their career.
Sharma said the trio, who left the party, will return
to the fold.
"I am hopeful, the three activists, who are studying at School of Social Science in JNU, where communist-mindset professors are in large number, resigned due to pressure from such professors as they target those with nationalist views...They will return to ABVP...They have nationalist views and they will definitely come back," Sharma said.
He said, "they were part of us during (opposing) the February 9 event. We are in talks with them."

Sharma alleged that the role played by certain faculty members in the entire row is very disappointing.
"Till date JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) has not opposed the sloganeering on campus nor protested to arrest the culprits rather some professors have given lecturers that India has forcefully occupied Kashmir.
"We demand for a fair probe and stringent action should be initiated against those who are involved in this anti-national activity," Sharma said.
He said he has lodged a complaint with Delhi Police stating that an unidentified person had brandished a firearm threatening him and others when they tried to stop the controversial event.