Bassi Denies Kanhaiya’s LeT Links; Tirade Against Govt Continues
The latest developments in the JNU-Afzal Guru row.
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- Kanhaiya Kumar’s police custody extended by two days.
- BJP president Amit Shah asks Congress to clarify ‘anti-national’ stance.
- NIA probe in Kanhaiya sedition case to be heard tomorrow.
- Hafiz Saeed releases a video denying the allegations made by Rajnath Singh of his involvement.
- BJP MLA and supporters attack Ameeque Jamai (CPI) on basis of the latter chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.
- Lawyers attack JNU supporters and media at Patiala House Court.
- Tweets from 26/11 convict Hafiz Saeed blasphemous, inciting Indian youth: Bassi.
- Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi says Kumar raised anti-national slogans.
- BJP president Amit Shah, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani called students “anti-national” on different days.
- JNU protesters formed human chain on Sunday against Kanhaiya’s arrest.
- JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar arrested for sedition on Friday, following an event to mark Afzal Guru’s execution.
MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Slams “Anti-India” Slogans
The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has called the act of raising “anti-India” slogans as an act of crime.
JNUSU President’s Arrest “Political Conspiracy,” Says Mayawati
West Bengal’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has joined hands with the Congress party to slam the ruling party for arresting a student union president of JNU, Kanhaiya Kumar under sedition charges.
Congress vice president had visited the JNU campus to support the protests and asked the students to not let the government “bully” them.
Professor Gives Speech After Being Attacked By Lawyers in Courthouse
Dr. Rohit, Assistant Professor of Economics at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU and former President, JNUSU, gave a passionate speech after being attacked by RSS-backed ‘lawyers’ at the Patiala House court complex in Delhi on 15 February 2016.
No LeT Link
BS Bassi met with Rajnath Singh to brief him, and later released a statement saying that there is no LeT link between Kanhaiya Kumar and Hafiz Saeed.
Kapil Sibal on Treating Students As Criminals
He went on to say if Amit Shah and PM Modi think that days of British Raj are back, they are using their power to forcibly put an end to the urge of ‘our young children to speak their minds.’ He added that this could teach them a lesson.
He then took a jab at Amit Shah saying:
Varied Information On Kanhaiya’s Presence Released
Different videos have been released in light of JNUSU’s president Kanhaiya Kumar’s extended police custody. Two videos, one day time protest and one night showcase a group of people shouting slogans such as ‘inqalaab zindabad’.
However, confusion still persists on whether it was Kanhaiya, JNU students, ABVP or a whole different group.
PC Chacko Slams Amit Shah
Kanhaiya’s Custody Extended
JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who was arrested for sedition has been remanded to two days in police custody until 17 February.
Kiren Rijiju on Current State of Affairs
Reactions to Patiala House Assault
The Union Home Secretary Shri Raj said,
In an interview with NDTV, Chief of Delhi Police BS Bassi said, ‘there are allegations that certain press reporters, and some students belonging to JNU were roughed up. We are looking into it’. He added saying:
BJP Condemns Anti-National Slogans Said at JNU
BJP President Amit Shah just strongly criticised the ‘anti-national’ activities that took place at JNU a few days ago.
Shah said that anti-national activities should not and will not be tolerated in India.
He said that ‘if Congress wants to support this in name of freedom of speech’, then what is a bigger proof of supporting anti-nationals?
Shah went on to demand an apology from Congress, asking them to clarify their stance on anti-nationalism.
‘Rehte hai Hindustan me aur geet gate hai Pakistan ke: Parliament attack martyr’s kin’
NIA Probe Plea To Be Heard Tomorrow
Delhi HC to hear the plea seeking NIA probe in the sedition case in which, JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested.
Hafiz Saeed Releases Video Responding To Allegations
Hafiz Saeed has just released a video responding to the allegations that he or his tweet is behind the JNU slogans.
He added that the allegations against JUD following the attacks in Mumbai were also false.
Saeed addressed the Kashmiri students row saying, ‘I have not incited Kashmiri students on Afzal Guru’s hanging —whatever they have done and said is of their own volition’.
BJP MLA and Supporters Assault Man
Delhi BJP MLA OP Sharma and his supporters beat up an unidentified man outside Patiala House court. He said that people who were chanting slogans ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ were being held by him and his supporters, they were not beating them up.
The man has now been identified as Ameeque Jamai of Communist Party of India (CPI).
Peaceful Protests at JNU Campus
Meanwhile, peaceful protests continue at JNU campus despite news of the lawyers scuffle reaching them. Students question them about who these lawyers and police inspectors are fighting against.
Journalists Being Verbally, Physically Abused
These alleged lawyers pushed a lady TV reporter from Patiala House court premises while hurling abusive language at her.
When journalists turned to police for help, they asked the media personnels to leave the court premises as well, saying ‘if anything happens to you, it is not our responsibility.’
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Tweets on JNU Row
Students Verbally Abused
Students have reportedly been called ‘anti-nationalists’ and asked to go back to Pakistan.
These men dressed and alleged to be lawyers have continued to beat students, protestors and media personnel’s up.
These lawyers were shouting ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘JNU Haye Haye’.
Scuffle Was Pre-Planned
A WhatsApp message sent by one of the lawyers is making the rounds. It mentions to show up outside ‘gate no. 4’ to give this a conclusion.
Violent Scuffle Erupts Inside Patiala House Court
Fights erupted outside the Patiala House Court as Kanhaiya Kumar was produced for his hearing. Students have been allegedly called Pakistani’s and hit brutally.
Media reports suggest that lawyers are forcibly removing JNU faculty out of the court room. Students are being threatened as they resist being thrown out.
One person claiming to be a lawyer has slapped a student. A woman constable is reportedly in the court room, asking women faculty members to leave the court room.
Media Assaulted
Advocates are threatening media personnel to leave the court room, reports say. They are demanding ID cards and calling the media ‘anti-nationalist’.
At least three journalists have been slapped and have had their mobile phones snatched from them.
Of the three, senior IBN journalist Amit Pandey has been brutally beaten up, media reports.
Another lawyer Malayam news channel Kairala TV journalist Manu Shankar has also been beaten up. He suffers injures to his forehead and his mobile phone has been damaged.
Delhi Police Standing By
Victims and media persons allege that Delhi police are just standing by and not taking any action against the violent lawyers.
Reports claim that Delhi Police do not want to intervene as it will apparently make things worse.
Students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University are on strike demanding the release of Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, who will be produced in a Delhi court on Monday. Scores of JNU students formed a human chain and raised slogans on Sunday, demanding that sedition charges against Kumar be dropped.
Kumar was arrested earlier this week in a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy filed over an event held at the varsity against Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging during which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.
Ministry of Defence on JNU Crackdown
Rao Inderjit Singh has said that protestors should be identified and strictest possible action should be taken against them.
Yechury’s Office Is Prepared to Defend Itself
CPI(M)‘s Sitaram Yechury said that his office is prepared to defend itself from ollegal attacks as the government doesn’t take action on them but takes action against the JNU students.
Congress on Afzal Guru
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala releases a statement on Afzal Guru.
Soon after, Surjewala withdrew his statement on blaming Afzal Guru. He said it was a slip of tongue and supported his statement that India is ‘strong enough to punish through due process of law even a terrorist like Afzal Guru.’
Bassi: Kanhaiya Did Chant Anti-India Slogans
Delhi police Chief BS Bassi just released a comment saying there is clear evidence that arrested student Kanhaiya, was chanting anti-national slogans and was delivering speeches regarding the same. Bassi said interrogation and investigations are still underway.
Bassi has not submitted any proof to home minister Rajnath Singh, regarding the Hafiz saeed link. He adds that the tweet on Hafiz Saeed was blasphemous and tried to incite youth against the government of India.
Students Respond to Bassi
Students claim that JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar did not chant anti-India slogans and that he only reacted to the situation-at-hand.
Teachers to Protest Tomorrow
Teachers are reportedly to join the students in protests tomorrow. They will not hold any classes but will go into classes and not teach.
Amit Shah Blog
Amit Shah’s blog takes a stab at Rahul Gandhi by questioning him about the definition of patriotism. He asks whether he can differentiate between anti-state and nationalism.
Going on to calling Congress ‘Hitlerwadh’ after Rahul Gandhi compared today’s India with Hitler’s German, Shah retaliates on his blog by asking the Congress vice president whether the 1975 emergency demonstration of Congresses commitment to democracy didn’t portray Indira Gandhi as Hitler.
‘Looking Into the Issue’
JNU’s Vice Chancellor has said that the inquiry committee is looking into the issue. An executive council meeting is currently underway.
Kumar added that he encourages open expression of views and ideas as long as they are peaceful. The committee will reportedly submit the probe report by 25 February 2016.
‘There is No Need For A Strike’
VC Kumar went on to add that he believes through open discussions, problems can be solved, there is no need for any sort of strike.
Sitaram Yechury Allegedly Gets Threat Calls
Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M)’s Delhi office allegedly received calls late on Sunday night threatening General Secretary Sitaram Yechury for his support for the students in the protests at the JNU.
A formal written complaint has now been filed. Jatin Narwal, DCP of Delhi says legal action will be taken on the call received.
The receptionist informed police that abusive and threatening calls were made between 10.30 pm to 1 am.
The caller addressed himself as a Aam Aadmi Balveer Sena member.
A complaint at Mandir Marg police station has been given and police has put the call on surveillance.
Case Against JNUSU President Needs Specialised Investigation: Police
Investigators probing the sedition case, in which the JNU students’ union president has been arrested, have urged Delhi Police’s top brass to transfer it to the Special Cell, saying the matter requires “specialised investigation”.
In a letter, the DCP heading the probe said,
Furore Over Rajnath Singh’s ‘JNU Protests Backed by LeT’ Remark
Left parties on Sunday said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement that the JNU event had received support from terror outfit LeT was a “serious allegation” and demanded that he share evidence in support of his claim.
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury was part of the Left Front-JD(U) delegation that had met Singh on Saturday over JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar’s arrest, and later asked for evidence from the home minister in a series of tweets.
JNU Teachers Rally Behind Protesting Students
On Sunday, JNU teachers rallied behind its protesting students and questioned the university’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.”
As a row over an event at the campus of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru raged, the teachers also come out in support of the students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is in police custody on sedition charges, saying even if the students have done anything wrong, it is an issue of “indiscipline” and not “sedition”.
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