ABVP members resign in opposition to 'Taliban culture' in India

ABVP office-bearers resigned from the party on Wednesday, saying there should be no Taliban culture in India and the law should be allowed to take its course. 

"Let Supreme Court find Kanhaiya guilty and award him life imprisonment, let Umar Khalid be jailed if he is guilty but do not attack the entire university, students and teachers,"Pradeep Narwal, former Joint Secretary of JNU unit of ABVP, said. "JNU is the most nationalist institution in the country."

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Pradeep Narwal, Joint Secretary of JNU unit of ABVP; Rahul Yadav, President of ABVP unit of JNU's School of Social Sciences (SSS); and its Secretary Ankit Hans, resigned from the BJP student wing, saying they "cannot be mouthpiece of such a government which has unleashed oppression on student community".

Ankit Hans, said: "We had ideological differences with the party over the issue so we decided to disassociate ourselves. We want to stand for the university as students and not political leaders of an outfit, whose stand is not acceptable to us".

While the ABVP senior leaders are claiming that the three students have been "influenced" to protest against the party and divert the whole issue, Hans said, "This is our individual decision which has not been taken under anybody's influence."

'This is hooliganism, not nationalism'

In a hard-hitting resignation letter, the trio said, "Every day we see people assemble at front gate with Indian Flag to beat JNU student, well this is hooliganism not nationalism.

"You can't do anything in the name of nation, there is a difference between nationalism and hooliganism".

"We cannot be mouthpiece of such a government which has unleashed oppression on student community," they added. 

The three students, however, maintained that they will not join the ongoing strike by the students demanding release of JNUSU President Kumar.

Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on Friday last in connection with a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy registered over holding of the event at the varsity during which anti-India slogans were alleged to have been raised.

Members of the ABVP objected to holding of the event following which Vice Chancellor had withdrawn the permission for it. However, the organisers had gone ahead with the event.