What happened at Jawaharlal Nehru University on the ninth of this month? Debates all over India are seeking answers to this. Agitations that saw the union leader of the college being arrested for sedition and students coming out on the streets arose after a meeting on the ninth of February. While there are many versions of the story, a correct answer would emerge only after a police inquiry is completed.
Four students, viz., Umar Qalid, Komal, Anirban and Avasthi, had sought permission for the function. They students, who were active members of the Democratic Students Union, which is lenient to Maoist ideologies, are believed to have resigned from the organisation months ago. The four wanted to conduct a meeting on poetry dubbed, 'The country without a post office,' in front of the Sabarmathi Dhaba at 3pm on February 9. The student dean allowed the meeting. The story so far is linear and unambiguous; what follows however has many versions.
The university’s umbrage
While permission was given for a poetry meeting, posters started to appear in large numbers on the university walls. The sentences in the posters were aimed against brahmin hegemony and hanging of Afsal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt. The posters also declared solidarity against those who were being repressed in Kashmir. The VC of the university immediately called a meeting and cancelled permission for the proposed meeting. However, the meeting was conducted without permission and media personnel were invited without the permission of the university. Eight people who were found to have violated norms were barred from academic functions.
The police story
There is evidence that anti-India slogans were raised in the meeting. Students including Kanhaiyya Kumar and 19 others have been identified. There is enough evidence to indict Kumar for sedition. The police have released a video showing students shouting anti-India slogans. Cases were filed on complaints raised by ABVP and BJP MP Mahesh Giri.
The protestors' parry
The meeting was cancelled on the complaints by the ABVP and therefore conducting the meeting was a sign of protest. Kanhaiyya Kumar had reached the place to prevent the worsening of the situation. Meanwhile Kumar prevented people from raising anti-India slogans and examined their ID cards. The AAP has released a video that alleges that those who shouted anti-India slogans were ABVP workers. The ABVP workers have filed a counter case saying that the video was a fake one. The speech by Kumar, which is spreading on social media, does not contain anything to be charged with sedition.
The teachers’ tirade:
The VC’s stance has only magnified a case of indiscipline into one of sedition. By allowing the police to enter the campus, he squandered the sovereignty of the University.
Disclaimer
The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Manorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.