Congress- NCP is relying on Kanhaiya for strengthening their foothold in the state.
Inspite of being stamped as an ‘anti-national’ from various right-wing quarters, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar has found support from political leaders. Even though Kanhaiya has mentioned that he doesn’t have any intention to enter mainstream politics or fight elections political parties are already coming forward to support him. Kanhaiya has said that he is a student and will continue to work for their cause. On the other hand it’s the Nationalist’s Congress Party leader Jitendra Awhad who drove car for Kanhaiya Kumar during his stay in Mumbai. Sources say the entire travel and stay of Kanhaiya was sponsored by NCP in Maharashtra. Congress- NCP will use this student leader as poster boy for strengthening their foothold in the state.
Recently, the Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray openly took on BJP for branding Kanhaiya as “anti-national”. Uddhav had said, “It is wrong to brand Kanhaiya as anti-national and slapping sedition case against him. He is not anti-national. Who gave birth to Kanhaiya, Hardik Patel and Rohith Vemula? The government should ponder over it.”
Meanwhile Hindu Sant Mahasabha – an affiliate organization of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha – said that the BJP is wrong in labelling Kumar as anti-national.
Swami Chakrapani Maharaj, the president of the organisation, was quoted saying, that they were misled by the “BJP propaganda” against Kumar and his fellow JNU scholars Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya.
He said, “I was enraged when I learnt that Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban had raised slogans against my mother land. I was swayed by the BJP’s propaganda. However, I decided to follow this case properly. When I went into the details, I realized that there was not a shred of evidence against any of the three students. It was clear to me that the BJP has been trying to make scapegoat of them.”
Whereas Abhay Vartak of Sanatan Sanstha held a press conference against Kanhaiya Kumar and alleged him of being anti national. He demanded social boycott of these students. Vartak said, “Media has already made him big, larger than life but it’s time to expose Kumar and we will do it. We want our youth to boycott such elements in our society.”
Fuming BJP Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar asked, “How can Shiv Sena support Kanhaiya Kumar, who is being prosecuted for holding a programme to mourn death anniversary of terrorist Afzal Guru?” “Afzal was hanged for his involvement in the attack on the Parliament. How can Shiv Sena support someone who hails Afzal? What has caused this 360-degree ideological shift in the Shiv Sena’s stand?”
Meanwhile, JNU slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on Kumar and rusticated Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and Kashmiri student Mujeeb Gattoo for varying durations over their alleged role in the controversial 9 February event for which they were charged with sedition, an action which had sparked outrage and triggered protests. Based on the findings of a high-level enquiry committee (HLEC), Khalid has been rusticated for one semester and Bhattacharya till 15 July. Khalid has also been slapped a fine of Rs 20,000. Anirban has been barred from JNU campus for a period of five years starting 23 July.
“We have decided that none of the students will pay the fine or vacate their hostels. We demand that the university administration withdraws these orders as we have maintained right from the beginning that we do not have faith in this enquiry panel and it should be reconstituted,” JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora said.
Maharashtra’s Dalit and leftist student activists along with students of other universities are planning to support the protest, until the justice is done to JNU students.
