 "JNU: Rajnath kicks up political storm with LeT link claim")
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh unleashed a political storm on Sunday with a claim that an event at Jawaharlal Nehru University to protest the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru had received “support” from Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed. Opposition parties demanded that the home minister provide proof to back his claim.
In a shot in the arm for the students demanding the release of its students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who was slapped with sedition charge, teachers associations of 40 central universities extended support to the protest by the students and teachers of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU)
JNU’s teachers’ association also criticised the administration for mishandling the issue, particularly for allowing police action before completion of a probe by the university’s proctorial committee in connection with the event. The teachers are backing the students.
"What has happened is very unfortunate," Singh told reporters in Allahabad referring to an event at JNU campus to commemorate the third death anniversary of Afzal Guru.
Singh's comments about Hafiz's links with the event where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised sparked a political row with opposition parties asking him to provide evidence.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said it is a “very serious charge” to level against students and that evidence must be shared with all.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the home minister has to share the evidence he has with the country to back up his “serious allegation.” CPI leader D Raja also demanded that the evidence be made public.
Singh’s comments came two days after a series of tweets, purportedly by Saeed, had appeared under a hashtag asking Pakistanis to support the agitation in JNU.
Police are investigating as to whether the twitter handle actually belonged to him.
Throwing its weight behind the students and teachers of JNU, President of Federation of Central University Teachers Association Nandita Narain said teachers' associations of 40 central universities including of Hyderabad University have extended support to agitation by JNU students and teaching community.
Seven of eight JNU students who were debarred from academic activities earlier this week in connection with the Afzal Guru event have been asked to appear before a high level committe of the varsity probing the matter.
Meanwhile, a video has gone viral on social media, purportedly showing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members shouting pro-Pakistan slogans. However ABVP rubbished the allegations, saying it was a morphed video.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Home
Minister has made a serious charge and he should produce evidence.
Police has formed a team to trace 13 students allegedly involved in anti-India sloganeering at the event on February 9. DCP South Delhi, Prem Nath, has also written a letter to the top brass favouring transfer of the case to Delhi Police's Special Cell.
While the students have called for a strike from tomorrow till Kanhaiya is released, the teachers' association said it is yet to take a call on the issue.
Kanhaiya was arrested on Friday in connection with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy registered over holding of the event at the varsity during which anti-India slogans were alleged to have been raised.
A shocked mother of Kanhaiya, who hails from Begusarai in Bihar, said "Please do not call my son a terrorist.
"We are constantly watching TV after we got to know that Kanhaiya has been arrested. I hope police does not beat him too much. He has never disrespected his parents, forget the country. Please do not call my son a terrorist. He cannot be one."
Meena Devi, an Anganwadi worker who earns Rs 3,500 per month, said she and her eldest son Manikant are the sole bread-winners for the family as her 65-year-old husband has been bedridden for seven years due to paralysis.
JNU vice chancellor Jagdish Kumar appealed to the students and teachers to let the law take its course and maintain a conducive environment in the university.
The JNU row yesterday turned into an ideological battle between the BJP and its Left opponents, with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi lending them support and comparing the Modi government with Hitler's regime.
The arrrest of Kumar, a leader of CPI-affiliated student outfit, set the two sides on the warpath, with the government declaring that the varsity cannot be allowed to be a "hub of anti-national" activities.
"The event which took place could be in bad taste but was not seditious. Whatever opposition the students have is against the present government, not against the Constitution. This kind of police action on students on pretext of national security is uncalled for," Narain said.
A protest was also held at Jantar Mantar where people from various spheres expressed solidarity with JNU students. At the JNU campus, families of JNU staff, also joined the teachers and students in forming a human chain.
PM meets Shah
Top BJP leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met on Sunday at Modi’s residence to take stock of the situation.
Party sources insisted that the meeting had no “direct correlation” with the JNU row and covered a wide spectrum of issues, including upcoming state assembly elections and the Budget session of Parliament.
In a shot in the arm for the students demanding the release of its students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who was slapped with sedition charge, teachers associations of 40 central universities extended support to the protest by the students and teachers of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU)
JNU’s teachers’ association also criticised the administration for mishandling the issue, particularly for allowing police action before completion of a probe by the university’s proctorial committee in connection with the event. The teachers are backing the students.
More From This Section
Amid the protests in JNU, Rajnath said, “The incident at JNU has received support from Hafiz Saeed. This is a truth that the nation needs to understand.”
"What has happened is very unfortunate," Singh told reporters in Allahabad referring to an event at JNU campus to commemorate the third death anniversary of Afzal Guru.
Singh's comments about Hafiz's links with the event where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised sparked a political row with opposition parties asking him to provide evidence.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said it is a “very serious charge” to level against students and that evidence must be shared with all.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the home minister has to share the evidence he has with the country to back up his “serious allegation.” CPI leader D Raja also demanded that the evidence be made public.
Singh’s comments came two days after a series of tweets, purportedly by Saeed, had appeared under a hashtag asking Pakistanis to support the agitation in JNU.
Police are investigating as to whether the twitter handle actually belonged to him.
Throwing its weight behind the students and teachers of JNU, President of Federation of Central University Teachers Association Nandita Narain said teachers' associations of 40 central universities including of Hyderabad University have extended support to agitation by JNU students and teaching community.
Seven of eight JNU students who were debarred from academic activities earlier this week in connection with the Afzal Guru event have been asked to appear before a high level committe of the varsity probing the matter.
Meanwhile, a video has gone viral on social media, purportedly showing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members shouting pro-Pakistan slogans. However ABVP rubbished the allegations, saying it was a morphed video.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Home
Minister has made a serious charge and he should produce evidence.
Police has formed a team to trace 13 students allegedly involved in anti-India sloganeering at the event on February 9. DCP South Delhi, Prem Nath, has also written a letter to the top brass favouring transfer of the case to Delhi Police's Special Cell.
While the students have called for a strike from tomorrow till Kanhaiya is released, the teachers' association said it is yet to take a call on the issue.
Kanhaiya was arrested on Friday in connection with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy registered over holding of the event at the varsity during which anti-India slogans were alleged to have been raised.
A shocked mother of Kanhaiya, who hails from Begusarai in Bihar, said "Please do not call my son a terrorist.
"We are constantly watching TV after we got to know that Kanhaiya has been arrested. I hope police does not beat him too much. He has never disrespected his parents, forget the country. Please do not call my son a terrorist. He cannot be one."
Meena Devi, an Anganwadi worker who earns Rs 3,500 per month, said she and her eldest son Manikant are the sole bread-winners for the family as her 65-year-old husband has been bedridden for seven years due to paralysis.
JNU vice chancellor Jagdish Kumar appealed to the students and teachers to let the law take its course and maintain a conducive environment in the university.
The JNU row yesterday turned into an ideological battle between the BJP and its Left opponents, with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi lending them support and comparing the Modi government with Hitler's regime.
The arrrest of Kumar, a leader of CPI-affiliated student outfit, set the two sides on the warpath, with the government declaring that the varsity cannot be allowed to be a "hub of anti-national" activities.
"The event which took place could be in bad taste but was not seditious. Whatever opposition the students have is against the present government, not against the Constitution. This kind of police action on students on pretext of national security is uncalled for," Narain said.
A protest was also held at Jantar Mantar where people from various spheres expressed solidarity with JNU students. At the JNU campus, families of JNU staff, also joined the teachers and students in forming a human chain.
PM meets Shah
Top BJP leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met on Sunday at Modi’s residence to take stock of the situation.
Party sources insisted that the meeting had no “direct correlation” with the JNU row and covered a wide spectrum of issues, including upcoming state assembly elections and the Budget session of Parliament.