Will hoist tricolour at NIT, says lawyer who attacked journos

NEW DELHI: Vikram Singh Chauhan, the advocate who was caught on camera attacking journalists during the trial of JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar, is lending support to the NIT students in meeting their demand to hoist tricolour on the institute’s Srinagar campus.

A day after NIT students met HRD official with a series of demands, the ministry agreed to most of them but remained silent on the demand of hoisting tricolour by human resources development minister Smriti Irani or Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the campus.

Chauhan told HT it was a genuine demand and there were possibilities that it would be met soon.

“As Indians, hoisting the tricolour is our right. Soon, we will hoist the tricolour on the campus along with the entire administration. I can’t reveal much at this stage,” Chauhan said.

Meanwhile, NIT-Srinagar management will consider formation of students’ council and all national festivals will be celebrated in the institute, it has said.

The minutes of the meeting, attended by NIT-Sringar director Rajat Gupta, officials of HRD ministry and students’ representatives, were put on the institute’s website but it did not refer to the demand of hoisting of the tricolour.

The institute has decided to allow optional external evaluation for recent exams.

Also, a committee constituted for students’ grievance redressal having two external members will go for further fact-finding into incidents that led to tension at NIT-Srinagar, according to the institute’s website.

The committee is expected to submit its report around May 15, the institute’s website further added.

It is a genuine demand. As Indians, hoisting the tricolour is our right. Soon, we will hoist the tricolour on the campus along with the entire administration. I cannot reveal much at this stage.

VIKRAM SINGH CHAUHAN, DELHI-BASED LAWYER