Left: Emergency-like situation in JNU

ABVP members shout slogans in front of India Gate on Friday during a protest against the JNU event to mark the anniversary of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. (Photo: AP)

Controversial Jawaharlal Nehru University event in support of Parliament atta-ck convict Afzal Guru has led to a political slugfest, with the BJP ministers and MPs making statements about “insult to Mother India” and promising “strongest possible” action against those involved.

Hailing the arrest of JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, the saffron brigade also questioned the silence of Cong-ress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on the issue. BJP MP Ravindra Kushwaha went a step ahead and sou-ght Prime Minister Nar-endra Modi’s intervention.

The Left parties questioned the arrest of Mr Kumar and asked the Delhi police to not act in “connivance” with the ABVP to target “entire Left” even as they likened the ongoing developments in the JNU campus to “situations during the Emergency.”

The Left parties, which have a string presence in students politics in the university, condemned raising of anti-India slogans by certain elements in JNU. However, they asked the police not target members of students’ wings of the Left Front and to take action against those concerned in accordance with law.

The Left said it will take up the issue with Union home ministry and also during the Budget Session of Parliament.

In Kolkata, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said: “The question is do you know who raised the slogans Take action according to law against them. When you don’t know, then how are you arresting all the student leaders Male police are going and raiding girls’ hostels. Only during the Emergency we saw this happen. That is the sort of Emergency state they are reducing our country to again. This time, it is the BJP.” Condemning raising of anti-India slogans by certain elements, CPI national secretary D. Raja said, “As a political party, we conde-mn any anti-India slogan. If law-enforcing authorities want to act against those elements, let them do it in accordance with law. But in the name of taking act-ion against such elements, they should not target en-tire Left students’ bodies.”

Mr Raja said that by targeting general students, the ABVP was creating a sense of terror in the campus.

He said that the Delhi police should not act in connivance with the ABVP and target the entire Left.

Toeing the BJP line, senior AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said the Centre should take stern action against anti-nationals and set an example.

Union home minister Rajnath made it clear that if anyone raises anti-India slogans or tries to raise qu-estions on the country’s un-ity and integrity, they will not be spared. “Stringent action will be taken against them,” he told reporters. Mr Singh said he has asked the Delhi police to take “strongest possible action” against those who were allegedly involved in “anti-India acts” in JNU.

Union HRD minister Smriti Irani said the nation will never tolerate insult to “Mother India.” She said: “I only want to say that today is the day of worship of Goddess Saraswati. Saraswati blesses every family that whatever they speak is for progress and strengthening the nation. Let Mother India be praised.”

Speaking at a principals’ conference organised by the right-wing Vidya Bharati Akhil Bhartiya Siksha Sansthan, Ms Irani made a a veiled reference to the protests at JNU.

“I felt satisfied that there are teachers who teach children to pray for the nation and not anti-India slogans.”

The BJP also used the incident to take a dig at those who had returned their awards over growing “intolerance” in the country, with Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman taking a jibe at them, wondering where they have gone now.

A JNU alumnus herself, Ms Sitharaman said she was proud of it and the university had a culture of open debate, but asserted that limits were crossed in this case. “Law will take its own course.”

She also referred to the “racist” incident in Congress-ruled Karnataka where a Tanzanian woman was attacked by a crowd over a road accident unrelated to her as she hit out at those who had attacked the BJP over intolerance.

Accusing the Congress vice-president and other Opposition leaders like Delhi and Bihar chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Nitish Kumar of doing politics over terrorism and Naxalism in the name of freedom of expression, BJP national secretary Srikant Sharma questioned their silence over the “sensitive” issue. “The Congress party is the mentor of all such people and it should speak on the issue.”

“Rahul Gandhi has been active in issuing statements on the issue of intolerance but he is silent on the recent protest at the JNU. He has not even condemned the incident,” Mr Kushwaha said.

8 students debarred from academics Eight students have been debarred from academic activities by the university admi-nistration pending a disciplinary inquiry into the event on Tuesday. The university, however, did not identify the eight students.

The students have been debarred based on an interim report of the “disciplinary” committee instituted earlier this week to probe the involvement of students in the event. The students will be allowed to stay in their respective hostels to enable them to represent their stand for a fair investigation.

“Considering the seriousness of the incidents, and in order to enable a fair enquiry, the committee has debarred the eight students from academic activities with immediate effect during the pendency of the inquiry,” JNU vice-chancellor Jagdeesh Kumar said

“However, to permit them represent their stand for a fair probe, they will be allo-wed to stay in their respective hostels as a guest, during the period of the inquiry,” Mr Kumar said.

The inquiry committee, appointed by the V-C, met yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday) to finalise the interim report and has recommended the action, the university said.

“The recommendations are being implemented. The authorities request everyone to help maintain peace and academic atmosphere on campus and avoid any external interference in vitiating the atmosphere,” it added.

When asked about who these students are, the vice-chancellor said, “It is in best interest of the students that their identity be protected.”

The committee is examining all the evidence and witnesses and is expected to come up with its report in two weeks.