Kejriwal asks students to take their cause to streets
REACHING OUT CM addresses JNU students, accuses VC and Prime Minister Modi of not doing enough to find Najeeb Ahmad
NEW DELHI: OnadaywhenJawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and teachers were asked by the administration to “discourage obstructive politics and protests” in the campus, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suggested them to take their struggle to find a missing student to the streets.
Kejriwal was addressing the students in the campus at a solidarity meeting for Najeeb Ahmad, who has been missing since October 15 after an altercation with other students. He said Najeeb will come back only when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is made to realise that he is losing votes over the issue.
JNUSU has alleged that students belonging to RSS-backed ABVP had beaten him up while ABVP students alleged Ahmed had slapped a student but there was no violence.
The CM also attacked the VC for not doing enough. “Your VC is not doing anything as he is scared that he will go missing himself if he takes action against those involved in it,” he said.
Kejriwal said he has written to Union home minister Rajnath Singh and will take a delegation to President Pranab Mukherjee when he returns from Nepal.
Congress leaders Shashi Tha- roor, Mani Shankar Aiyar, CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat and Najeeb’s family members were also present at the event. “Unless the ABVP, RSS, BJP don’t give you a certificate of being a bonafide patriot, the police will not act on your complaint,” said Karat.
Najeeb’s mother broke down while Tharoor was addressing students and said, “It has been 20 days and my son is missing. I request everyone to find my son .”
Earlier, the administration appealed to students and teachers to “discourage obstructive politics and protests” on the campus as it was hampering the smooth functioning of the university and “unreasonable” demands are being raised through demonstrations.
“Attempts are being made to disturb the normal functioning of the administration, and conduct of academic activities, including examinations,” it said.
However, the ABVP said that Kejriwal gave a political speech without knowing the facts. “He doesn’t even know what investigation the police has done so far. He should know that doing politics on this issue is raising problems for Najeeb,” said Saurabh Sharma, ABVP member and former JNUSU joint secretary.
ABVP also held a press conference where three students, allegedly involved in the altercation with Najeeb, claimed they were being targeted by JNUSU.