Pranab promises action on JNU student after Kejriwal meet

President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday promised action after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged him to direct the Modi government to step up efforts to trace a JNU student missing for over three weeks.

After meeting Mukherjee, Kejriwal said the President had promised to seek a report from the Home Ministry and the Jawaharlal Nehru University. "He (President) assured all support," the Aam Aadmi Party leader tweeted.

The Chief Minister sought the President's intervention regarding Najeeb Ahmed, who went missing from the Jawaharlal Nehru University on October 15 after a tiff with alleged members of the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The ABVP has denied any involvement in his disappearance.

In a letter to the President, Kejriwal expressed shock that police did not question the students who allegedly attacked Najeeb until November 4.

"I request you to urgently intervene in the turn of events in JNU, in your capacity as the Visitor of this premier university," he said.

"I also request you to immediately direct the central government to expedite the investigation process to find Najeeb. We are at a juncture where every single moment counts."

The AAP leader said the fact that Delhi Police had not been able to trace Najeeb raised serious concerns about the law and order situation in the national capital.

Kejriwal added that it was a shame that students struggling to trace their missing friend faced police action and an insensitive JNU administration.

"Since ABVP students are involved, there is a general perception that Delhi Police is not acting effectively. Even more problematic has been the role played by the Vice Chancellor of the University."

He accused the Vice Chancellor of not acting against the ABVP students who attacked Ahmed.

And as police cracked down a JNU student protest at the India Gate memorial in the heart of the capital, Kejriwal urged the government not to turn Delhi into a police state.

The Chief Minister added sarcastically that if half the number of policemen deployed on Sunday had been utilized to trace Najeeb, he would have been found by now.

--IANS

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