Row over Afzal Guru event, attack on JNU's democratic culture:

The JNU students union today "disowned" the controversy over an event on JNU campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, saying it is an attempt by ABVP to curb the "democratic traditions" of the university.
The JNUSU has two members from the left-backed All India Students Association (AISA), one from All India Students Federation (AISF) and one from BJP-affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
The Left-backed parties in a joint statement issued today distanced themselves from the controversy saying that opposition against the Afzal guru event is ABVP's stand and not the student union's.
"We disown this controversy and are appaled at the way an uproar has been created over the issue and it is being projected as a JNUSU activity. We do condemn the undemocratic slogans that were raised at the programme but this is an ABVP propaganda to malign the image of the university as well as curb the democratic tradition of the university," said JNUSU President Kanaihya Kumar.

"Universities are spaces of dialogue and discussion and if a group is holding a peaceful programme with the administration's permission, the VC cannot simply get nervous and deny permission just because ABVP is flexing its muscles," the joint statement said.
The protests continued to rock the university for the second day with the two groups gathering outside VC office and shouting slogans against each other.