Kashmir is integral part of India: Kanhaiya Kumar

Kanhaiya said JNU protests were against capital punishment, not in support of Afzal Guru

Kashmir is an integral part of India and so Indians can discuss the issues pertaining to Kashmiris at any forum, JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar said on Friday.

Speaking at the India Today conclave, Kanhaiya Kumar said: "There is no doubt that Kashmir is an integral part of India. And since Kashmiris are Indians, we can always discuss their issues."

Kanhaiya Kumar, who was charged with sedition, denied supporting Kashmiri militant Afzal Guru, who was hanged for his role in the terror attack on the Indian parliament, but said he opposed capital punishment.

"Our protest (on February 9) was against capital punishment, not in support of Afzal," he said, adding that even if an ABVP activist was given capital punishment, he would oppose it.

"The JNU culture promotes debate and discussion. It is not our culture to stop people from speaking or putting forth their point of view, even if we do not agree with it," he added.

Asked why he did not stop people from raising anti-India slogans at the JNU campus on February 9, he said neither he or nor his All India Students Federation (AISF) supported anti-India slogans or Kashmir's secession.