Hundreds of JNU students assembled near Ganga Dhaba after dinner to welcome their Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who was released from judicial custody on interim bail in a sedition case. Mr Kumar was received by students with loud cheers and equally louder slogans.
The students took out a victory procession from Ganga Dhaba to various hostels and ended at the Administrative Block. Stairs of Administrative Block were occupied even before Mr Kumar’s arrival with other students.
The students continuously shouted slogans like “red salute (lal salam) to Comrade Kanhaiya” and “we want azadi from RSS and BJP”. He reached the Administrative Block at 10.15 pm and was received amid loud cheers, clapping, songs and slogans of “azadi”.
Mr Kumar also shouted slogans with the rest of the students. He gave red salute to other JNU students, who are his co-accused in the sedition case, countrymen and people across the globe for their support to the Save the JNU campaign.
Mr Kumar addressed the students and attacked the BJP and some TV news channels.
“I come from a village. Where there are magic shows. People show magic and sell rings that fulfil all wishes... We have some people like that in our country, who say black money will come back, sabka saath sabka vikas (development for all),” he said, taking a dig at the BJP’s election promises. “We Indians forget too soon, but this time the tamasha (show) is too big and these jumlas (sentences) won’t be forgotten.”
“I have say special thanks to people in Parliament who are deciding in debate what is wrong or right and prime time anchors who are debating it. While defaming me, they made me famous,” he said.
The 29-year-old student said he had many differences with the Prime Minister, but he agreed with his tweet “Satyameva Jayate” which he had posted in praise of Smriti Irani’s speech in the Lok Sabha on the JNU row. “I have many differences with the PM, but I agree with his tweet Satyameva Jayate because these words are in our Constitution,” he said.
“We are not seeking ‘azaadi (freedom)’ from India. We want ‘azaadi’ within India,” he said.
Mr Kumar said he had no ill feelings towards anyone and won’t indulge in “witch-hunting” towards the ABVP.
