New Delhi: The three office bearers of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) unit, who resigned yesterday in solidarity with the ongoing students’ protests against Centre’s handling of the situation, said they did not want the varsity to be branded as ‘anti-national’.
“It was a matter of right and wrong. Wrong has been done to the JNU students. The mob culture, which has emerged in the nation, is wrong. Some anchors of the media have become biased. This is not right. It is a matter of the nation, not of any political party. We have been dubbed as ‘anti-national’.this is not right,” said Pradeep Narwal, Joint Secretary, ABVP JNU unit.
“People are accused. Let there be probe and action. There should be no mob culture. The court should take the decision0,” he added.
Another member Ankit Hans said they resigned from the unit to take a stand for the varsity, adding that they want the court to decide on the accused and take necessary action.
“This thought should be there in the media as well as in the society. Today, the mob is deciding on this. JNU’s image is being tarnished.this should not take place,” he said.
Another member Rahul Yadav said they had difference of opinion with the BJP and added that they have resigned as they were extremely upset with the university being defamed.
“The party was not taking any action and even the Centre did not handle the matter properly. Kashmir is an integral part of India, there is no difference of opinion in that. Action should be taken against those who raised ‘anti-national’ slogans,” he said.
ABVP president Alok Singh, however, said the campus is at the moment divided into factions.
“If I talk about the campus, it’s the ABVP versus the rest. All have taken a side as they fear threat. The Communists have been fully exposed. But the ABVP have progressed in this movement. All those who raised anti-national slogans must be punished,” he said.
Singh further stated that three members, who have resigned belong to the School of Social Science, which had earlier released a fabricated video to weaken the movement and also threatened for a strike.
“This is the same school where strike is going on. I think tremendous pressure was created on the teachers and the faculty due to which they have taken this decision,” he added.
Meanwhile, JNUSU joint Secretary Saurabh Sharma said that they have not received any information about the three members resigning from their respective posts.
“The ABVP hasn’t received any official letter from them. They are still our members as no resignation has been given to us officially. I think they are misguided. I think this is the last propaganda by the Leftists. We will talk to the members and try to know why they took such a step. I think the three members are being used,” he said.
The JNU students are on strike demanding students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar’s release.
Kanhaiya, who has been booked under sedition charge in connection with an event in JNU where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised last week, has been remanded to judicial custody till March 2. (ANI)