Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar at a seminar on "Constitutional rights" in Hyderabad. (Press Trust of India photo)
Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar today vowed that he would keep up his fight against casteism, and economic inequalities but ruled out him campaigning in the coming Assembly polls.
Mr Kumar, who was denied entry into the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) yesterday when he came to express solidarity with the students fighting on the Rohith Vemula issue, had to face unpleasant moments today when a man threw a shoe at him in a seminar on "Constitutional rights".
A man sitting in the audience threw a shoe at Mr Kumar but it missed the target and fell just ahead of the stage.
The seminar was organised at Sundrayya Vignana Kendram (SVK) at Baghlingampally in Hyderabad, a building run by Left parties.
Police took away the man even as commotion prevailed in there for some time. The meeting continued after the incident.
The HCU, which witnessed violence after Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile took charge two days ago, remained peaceful today.
The HCU non-teaching staff, who had gone on a strike protesting vandalisation of VC's lodge on March 22 allegedly by a group of students, resumed their duties today.
Members of HCU Non-Teaching Staff Union had boycotted duties from Tuesday afternoon in protest against ransacking of Mr Appa Rao's official residence (VC's lodge) allegedly by the group of students who were opposing the VC resuming his duty.
Mr Kumar, who resumed his speech after the shoe-throwing incident, alleged that democracy is under attack in the country.
"Today, whoever it is, be it Marxists, Ambedkarites, Socialists, Lohiaites or Centrists, today all types of people are under attack. Because, democracy is coming under attack today," he said.
Stressing that he criticised Narendra Modi only because he is the Prime Minister, Mr Kumar recited a poem which talks about BJP's promises, including bringing back black money, controlling price rise and providing employment.
Alleging that he was highlighted to divert attention from the Rohith Vemula issue, Mr Kumar expressed support to the demand for bringing in a 'Rohith Act' to end discrimination in universities.
Claiming that 'nationalism' was brought as the development promised by BJP could not materialise, Mr Kumar said nationalism is not about one language, one religion, one caste or one gender.
"India is the nation of nations and we should respect all kinds of nationalities in the context of Indian nationalism, precisely where we should stand in the support of nationalism, not in the support of casteist, Brahminical Hindu nationalism. This is our position," he said.
Speaking about the saffronisation allegations, he said, "You cannot hegemonise 'Bharat Mata'".
Mr Kumar, who is on a two-day visit to the city and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, told reporters earlier that universities are under attack under the NDA government.
"Are we doing politics or is the government is doing politics? The government has a pre-planned script to destroy autonomy of universities... The precise work of universities, intellectuals is to promote critical thinking," he said.
The struggle in JNU is an extension of the campaign in HCU for justice to Mr Vemula.
There is a similarity between HCU and JNU in the context of alleged attack on students' activism and autonomy of universities, he said.
Whether it was coincidence or conspiracy that Appa Rao assumed charge ahead of his visit, he claimed.
Maintaining that students were instigated into violence regarding the attack on VC's office in HCU, Mr Kumar said he condemned violence in any form.
The truth would come out in the incident, he added.
Citing examples of FTII, Aligarh University, HCU and JNU, he claimed the campuses are becoming war zones because some students' groups are working for government.
Replying to a query, he said his organisation has nothing to do with the anti-national slogans raised in JNU in February.
"There is a difference between sedition and (being) anti-national", he added.
He also said he would not campaign in the elections coming up in different states.