This Article is From Feb 17, 2016

Supreme Court's Help Sought In Punishing Violence At JNU Hearing: 10 Facts

Opposition parties say the JNU event should have been investigated by the university (Reuters photo)

New Delhi: At a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, opposition parties raised their objections over the arrest of a JNU student leader on charges of sedition. The controversy escalated sharply yesterday with lawyers attacking reporters and students and faculty of JNU at a Delhi court.

Here are 10 developments in the big story:

  1. The government has so far refused to budge from its stand that Kanhaiya Kumar, the 28-year-old president of the JNU students' union, chanted anti-India slogans at an on-campus event and therefore, his arrest is deserved. The event was called to protest against the 2013 hanging of terrorist Afzal Guru.

  2. In the Delhi High Court today, the Centre said, "Whether it (the allegedly seditious behavior) was youthful error or international conspiracy is still being investigated."

  3. Public outrage over the JNU controversy amped up yesterday when reporters along with students and faculty from the prestigious university were beaten and kicked by men dressed in lawyer's robes outside a Delhi court.

  4. A group of journalists met  Home Minister Rajnath Singh today and complained that policemen at the court allowed the attacks to continue, did nothing to intervene as reporters were kicked and beaten with sandals.

  5. The Supreme Court will tomorrow hear an appeal by journalists asking for action against the assaulters, many of whom are seen on camera but have not yet been arrested.

  6. Delhi Police Chief BS Bassi has dismissed the violence as "incidents of a minor nature" though he has stressed that a case has been registered.

  7. Among the participants in the violence is BJP legislator OP Sharma, who is seen thrashing a Left activist. Mr Sharma and the Delhi Police chief claim he was attacked first. However, the politician said that anyone who chants pro-Pakistan slogans "will be beaten...yes."

  8. Opposition parties have united in accusing the government of wrongly asking the police to search the JNU campus for Mr Kumar and other students.

  9. They say that while they do not support anti-national acts, the JNU event should have been investigated by the university.

  10. The government has reiterated that the slogans that were shouted at JNU are "unacceptable" and that the matter is being investigated.



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