Business Standard

Left invite to Rahul

Image

Business Standard New Delhi
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) community was extremely nervous a day after the arrest of the students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar. The support from other political parties and leaders, including Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, helped in bolstering confidence. The JNU community was keen to have Kejriwal address the students. The Delhi CM was busy with programmes to mark one year of his government. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury was also approached. He spoke to Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, requesting him to address the students. The Congress leader agreed, even ignoring those within his party who advised against it. They argued that the JNU battle wasn't the Congress' to fight. But Gandhi, spurred by his "conviction" to stand with students, landed at JNU. The only assurance Yechury sought and got from the JNU community was a promise that Gandhi will not be asked to leave the campus or shown black flags. Only students of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad showed black flags to Gandhi.
 

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Feb 22 2016 | 9:04 PM IST

Explore News