"This march is not to save one Umar or Kanhaiya, it is for democracy and social justice," Kanhaiya Kumar said. (PTI photo)
JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar who is out on bail in a sedition case today led a march to Parliament demanding release of two varsity students and resignation of Union Minister Smriti Irani for alleged attack on academic institutions.
"She calls us her children, but has she ever spoken to my mother or Rohith Vemula's mother. I refused to be called her child. We demand that she should resign for the way academic institutions are being attacked," Mr Kumar said while addressing a gathering at Parliament Street.
The third in the series of "People's march to save democracy" was in solidarity with Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who are facing sedition charges in connection with an event against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
"This march is not to save one Umar or Kanhaiya, it is for democracy and social justice. When dictatorship comes to a country, education institutions are affected first. If you talk in favour of JNU and education, you are talking about making sense," the student leader said.
"If universities are being attacked, I want to tell you all that trust your children. There are some people who want to spread anarchy. But don't be afraid of them. You have to tell them that you cannot do all this. We will not tolerate any attack like this," Mr Kumar said.
The student leader who was granted bail on March 3 by a Delhi High Court, said, "we are not anti-national. We are anti RSS. We do not agree to your nationalism. Women should get out of their homes. We cannot do politics on Army. People who work on footpath are the biggest risk takers".
He alleged that the Prime Minister calls himself a tea-seller's son but what is he doing for the poor? "People who take years in getting from half pant to full pant can only divide the country like this. Everyone is a part of India. Be it minorities, Dalits," Mr Kumar said.
"Everybody is attacking JNU saying it runs on tax-payers money but about Vijay Mallya who also used tax-payer's money and eloped to London. What did they (govt) do about it," he said.
Left party leaders D Raja and Sitaram Yechury were also present at the march and expressed solidarity with the agitating students.
Author-activist Arundhati Roy also addressed the gathering saying, "we are looking at revolutionary politics. We are at the beginning of a battle between those who know how to play and those who don't. People who are called anti national are nature lovers. People who call themselves national are the ones ruining things".
Meanwhile, during his speech four persons tried to attack Mr Kumar at frequent intervals following which they were detained.