JNU students boycott classes, demand union president's release

The escalating stand-off over the arrest of Jawaharlal Nehru University students union president Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges on Monday saw the students going on strike till he is released.

While the teachers on Sunday extended solidarity with the students over the issue, they have not joined the strike yet. Kanhaiya, who was sent to three-days police custody, will be produced in court on Monday.

Vice Chancellor Jadesh Kumar appealed to the students to not resort to strikes and protests so that academic functioning of the university is not hampered.

“We also stand for free expression of ideas but I believe there is no need for strikes as the problem can be solved amicably. We are reaching out to the entire JNU community to see how the problem can be addressed but academic functioning of the university is of prime importance and should not be hampered,” he told reporters.

While the teachers association of the university have raised questions over the VC allowing a police crackdown on campus, Kumar said he was bound with the “law of land”.

“I never invited the police to enter the campus and pick our students. We only provided whatever cooperation was needed as per the law of land. We were bound to do so,” he added.

JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested last week 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.

His arrest has triggered widespread outrage among students and teachers and drawn severe criticism from non-Bharatiya Janata Party political parties.

The university teachers had on Sunday rallied behind its protesting students and questioned the administration’s decision to allow the police crackdown on the campus even as they appealed to the public not to “brand” the institution as “anti-national”.

Teachers bodies of 40 central universities and Pune-based Film and Television Institute of India had also come out in support of the agitating students saying it is an issue of “indiscipline” and not “sedition”.

‘Parties supporting agitation should be stripped of their elected status’

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena said all politicians who support the students’ agitation should be stripped off their ‘elected status’ and those raising slogans against India put behind bars.

Citing the example of cricketer Virat Kohli’s Pakistani fan being declared an “anti-national” by the neighbouring country for waving an Indian flag, the Sena said all those sloganeering against India should be declared “anti-nationals”.

“All those who are sloganeering against India should be immediately put behind bars. The JNU campus has now become a hub of not only anti-nationals, but of Pakistani and Chinese agents, who are indulging in anti-national activities on government’s money,” an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said.

“If elected representatives come forward in support of anti-nationals, there should be a provision in the law that such representatives should be stripped off their elected status. More than Pakistani terrorists, democracy and freedom is strangulating the country,” the ruling ally said.

The Sena further said that there should be a “combing operation” on institutions where prayers are being held for terrorists like Yakub Memon and Afzal Guru.

“If a Pakistani fan of Virat Kohli can be declared an anti-national by that country for waiving an Indian flag, why are people who shout anti-India slogans treated with kid gloves. The government has to take firm steps,” it said.

Hitting out at the Congress, the Sena said, “There is ruckus created in the Parliament if somebody celebrates the birth or the death anniversary of (Nathuram) Godse. Why Congress does not create a ruckus now when a day of remembrance is being observed for Afzal Guru.”