The Jawaharlal Nehru University campus has virtually turned into a battleground on Friday with the right wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and a section of theJNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and the Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA) on opposite sides. JNU is known for its leftists leaning and is considered as a breeding poit of Naxalites and anti-India supporters. The campus was not reachable for the police till recently. After the Modi government came to power the radicals turned violent and opposed anything Indian.

JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid through her WhatsApp message said, “We the JNUSU office-bearers are appalled at the way uproar has been created over the 9 February happened in the campus. We condemn the undemocratic slogans that were raised by some people on that day. In fact, when the sloganeering had been taking place, it was the Left-progressive organisations and students, including JNUSU office-bearers, asked the organisers to stop the slogans, which were regressive. What is happening here at JNU is a repetition of Hyderabad Central University.”

She said: “JNUSU president has been arrested. Police are doing rounds of the campus and mindlessly witch-hunting activists. RSS is running campaigns to shut down JNU. No JNU student ever raised any unprincipled slogan in the campus. Don’t you think it’s wrong to arrest JNUSU president? If tomorrow there’s a Congress government in power and JNUSU president is from ABVP, what would happen? It has set a bad precedent.”

“Earlier too, Afzal Guru had been discussed and was hailed as a ‘martyr’ in the campus. ABVP is flexing muscles with the support of the Central government, but that’s not the JNU tradition. In JNU we arrive at rational positions through debate and discourse. ABVP could have called an all-organisations’ meeting or University general body meeting on this issue,” remarked Rama Naga, general secretary, JNUSU.

Saket Bahuguna, Delhi, state secretary of ABVP said, “Debate on what -- whether Afzal Guru should be hailed or not? Can any Indian stoop so low as to raise 'anti-India' slogans and hail terrorists involved in Parliament attack that killed our own people as 'martyrs'? It’s ridiculous. All such anti-national students should immediately be arrested and JNU campus should be made free of such elements.”

“Anti-national activities and forces won’t be tolerated. Anyone raising anti-India slogan or questioning India’s integrity won’t be spared. Government will take tough measures,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said

By Premji