Rahul Gandhi addressed a group of students protesting the police action on campus. (PTI photo)
The Delhi Government on Saturday ordered an inquiry into the ongoing controversy at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University that has acquired a political colour. The Congress alleged that its senior leader Anand Sharma was attacked by students of the BJP-linked union. The campus has been on the boil since Friday, when a student was arrested and charged with sedition for holding a programme on executed parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Here are the latest developments:
In a series of tweets, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "There are claims that JNU student leaders shouted anti-India slogans and counter claims that ABVP activists did it.. To find truth, Del govt is directing DM to conduct an enquiry."
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday visited the campus, where students of the BJP-linked union showed him black flags.
Anand Sharma, who was in the campus and accompanied Mr Gandhi, was "publicly attacked by ABVP goons," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
The Congress, the Left Front, which dominates the campus and Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party attacked the government over the arrest of the student.
Addressing the students protesting against the arrest, Mr Gandhi said, "People who suppress the voice of this institution are anti-national."
Left leaders met Home Minister Rajnath Singh. CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said police action against JNU student on sedition charges is "completely wrong" and "the government is trying to propagate RSS ideology".
Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, "Male policemen can't raid girls' hostels in the name of anti-national activities. This is an attempt to terrorise students."
The Delhi Police has written to the JNU vice-chancellor asking the university to produce the five students other than Kanhaiya Kumar, who were taking part in the protests on Afzal Guru.
Kanhaiya Kumar, president of the JNU students' union and a Left-linked group activist, who was present at the programme on Afzal Guru, was arrested on Friday. He has been charged with sedition and conspiracy, and remanded in police custody for three days.
Upset with the arrest, the faculty has expressed concern over the "threat to democratic ethos." But former Army officers have reportedly threatened to return their JNU degrees citing "anti- national activities on campus".
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