Hyderabad: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiah Kumar has alleged that all the Universities across the nation are under attack by communal forces.
Speaking at a seminar on “Protection of Constitution and Rights” at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram here on Thursday, Kanhaiah Kumar said first incident occurred in Hyderabad Central University (HCU). “Apart from the HCU and JNU incidents, the government was trying to scrap the Minority status to the Aligarh Muslim University”, he questioned and alleged that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre was trying to de-legitimize the student unions agitations.
“We took a decision to agitate against the government’s tactics much before ‘Justice for Rohit Vemula’ movement. I visited HCU and discussed with the student unions on this issue. We launched JAC after going to Delhi”, he said. The JAC organized demonstrations from Ambedkar Bhavan to RSS Office and later organized a public meeting in Delhi, he said, adding that JNU agitation was in continuation of the Rohit Vemula agitation. He reminded that after release from the jail, his ideal hero was Rohit Vemula not Afzal Guru. “I don’t know whether it is intentional or coincidental but Apparao resumed duties before a day of my visit”, he asserted. He said supporters of VC Apparao, welcomed the latter with garlands. The students, who were on peaceful demonstration, resorted to violent incidents only after provocation from other side.
Stating that he has confidence on democracy, he said that he will not support violent incidents. “But the authorities made the male police to beat the girl students in HCU. They disconnected power, wi-fi and kept the teachers in jail after beating them”, he lamented. Questioning as to who disturbed the internal security of the HCU, Kanhaiah said that the police, who first thought to allow him to visit HCU, didn’t allow him thinking that internal security may disturbed. He stated the incidents took place in HCU and JNU were similar.
The Central government has brought Kanhaiah episode on to the screen only to sidetrack Rohit Vemula incident, he said and made it clear that he was waging war before and after going to jail only to provide justice to Rohit Vemula family. “I will not retire from my fight till Rohit Act is made”, he firmly said. The nation would be freed from “Manuvadam” and RSS and before that it was ridiculous to speak about justice in front of the poor. “Even Vivekananda too could not support the leaders, who are begging for votes in the name of religion. Every great person of this country tried to free the people from poverty. Every Indian has the responsibility to walk on the path laid by such great people. There is a need to protect the Indian culture, democracy and Constitution”, he said.
He said that Modi’s police gave him free publicity. Upper caste people never gave a house for rent to Baba Saheb Ambedkar. But Ambedkar took houses for rent by saying lies. But the upper caste people evicted him after knowing his caste, he said. “Ambedkar never got angry at the people, who had thrown his goods on the road. The people, who admire Ambedkar do not resort to attacks”, he said. (NSS)