The Jawaharlal Nehru University vice chancellor is not acting to trace university student Najeeb Ahmed as he is ‘scared’ of going ‘missing’ himself if he did so, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday.
Kejriwal made the comments at a solidarity meeting on the JNU campus.
The chief minister said Najeeb, who has been missing for over two weeks now, will come back only when Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be made to realise that he is losing votes over the issue.
“Najeeb will come back only when Modiji will realise that he is losing out on votes of youth. The movement for demanding justice for Najeeb needs to come to mainstream. The vice chancellor is also scared that if he will take any action he will also go missing,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal, who has had frequent run-ins with the Delhi Police, said it will not dare to pursue any investigation in this regard as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's students’ wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad was involved in the brawl following which Najeeb went missing.
“Whoever will raise any voice against RSS, ABVP or BJP will be called anti-national, will go missing. If Najeeb was Ambani’s son Modiji would have taken a flight to visit him but this will not attract his attention,” the Aam Aadmi Party chief said.
He also wondered why no one from the ABVP who was part of the campus brawl been questioned by the Police. Kejriwal said he has written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and will take a delegation to President Pranab Mukherjee when he returns from his Nepal visit.
Earlier, the JNU administration appealed to students and teachers to ‘discourage obstructive politics and protests’ on the campus as it was hampering the smooth functioning of the university and ‘unreasonable’ demands are being raised through demonstrations.
The appeal by the authorities came in the wake of protests by various student groups and teachers for the last two weeks over Najeeb's case.
Najeeb, 27, a student of School of Biotechnology and a native of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, went missing on October 15 following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with the members of ABVP the night before.
‘A large number of faculty, students, officers and staff have repeatedly approached the JNU administration expressing their discomfort and disagreement with the frequent politicisation and holding of dharnas and public meetings near the administration building and the academic areas,’ the appeal issued by Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar said.
‘Despite all efforts, pamphlets, posters, demonstrations, dharnas, unlawful confinement and offensive sloganeering have been going on to spread lies and to blame the administration and make unreasonable demands. Attempts are being made to disturb the normal functioning and conduct of academic activities including examinations,” it said.
Alleging inaction on the part of the administration, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union has been agitating over Najeeb's disappearance from the campus.
The protesting students had even confined the VC and other senior officials in the administrative building for over 20 hours.
Following a directive from the Union home ministry, Delhi Police has formed a special investigation team to trace the missing student.
‘Sit-ins, public functions, dharnas, putting tents, shouting slogan with loud beating of musical instruments have made it difficult for staff and officers working in the administration building to carry on with their official duties.
‘These activities are a violation of university rules and even rulings by the highest judicial body of the country. This uncooperative attitude has been obstructing the normal functioning of the university,’ it said.
‘The administration appeals to the entire JNU community to unite to trace Najeeb and keep away from unnecessary politicisation. To help JNU continue to focus on academic excellence, please discourage obstructive politics and protests in the campus,’ it added.
IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses the JNUSU Solidarity Meeting organised over the missing student at JNU Campus in New Delhi on Thursday. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sishodia, JD-U leader K C Tyagi, and RJD's Manoj Jha are also seen. Photograph: PTI Photo