Chargesheet against Kanhaiya, others a case of vendetta: JNU Students Union

The Jawaharlal Nehru University students' Union (JNUSU) on Monday termed filing of chargesheet against 10 JNU students for rioting and sedition a "clear case of vendetta" by the ruling party and an attempt by it to "whip up a frenzy" ahead of the general election.

The union said the chargesheet was filed to stifle the "critical voices" against the BJP government at the Centre, which, it said, turned out to be an "utter failure" in running the country.

"We are 100 per cent sure that such trumped-up charges would be quashed by courts and our fellow students will be cleared of all charges.

"The JNUSU extends its solidarity in fighting these trumped-up charges and offer all legal support to expose the lies of the government. We have maintained that this matter has been a pet-project of the RSS-BJP to malign the university and distract the people from the failures of this government," the union said in a statement.

Three years after former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were arrested for alleged sedition, the Delhi police on Monday filed a chargesheet naming them and seven Kashmiri students as accused in the case.

All 10 have been accused of raising "anti-India" slogans during a gathering at the university campus in February 2016, which was organised in protest against the hanging of 2001 Parliament-attack mastermind Afzal Guru.

"The country is witnessing brazen display of power, with raids being conducted on prominent leaders of the Opposition. We believe this only reflects the sheer desperation of the Modi government, whose time is coming to an end," the union added.

On the other hand, the RSS-affiliated student group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) welcomed the police action and called it its own personal "victory".

"This is a victory for ABVP and a rap for those from Congress and other parties who have been supporting these people (accused)," said ABVP member Saurabh Sharma, who was the joint secretary of the students union when the incident took place.

-- IANS

vn/prs