Kumar sent to 14-day judicial custody.
By Sreekanth A Nair
Even as the nation discusses incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in New Delhi, a group of lawyers again lashed out at journalists and the JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar when police brought him to the Patiala House court for a hearing.
The police had to struggle to take JNU Students Union (JNUSU) President Kanhaiya Kumar to the court. Kumar, who is charged with sedition, was sent to judicial custody in Tihar Jail for 14 days by Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen.
Kumar, while produced before the court, said that he was rebuked and attacked on his way to court; a similar sequence of events that happened two days ago, on Monday too.
In a written statement he said that he had full faith in the constitution of India and he didn’t support any anti-national activity.
“I have said earlier too. I am an Indian. I have full faith in the Constitution as well as the judiciary of the country. The media trial against me is painful. If there is evidence against me that I am a traitor, then you please send me to jail. But if there no evidence against me, there should be no media trial,” he said.
Kumar also appealed the students to remain calm. He was arrested on February 12 after anti-India slogans were raised at an event in JNU on February 9. The students had also raised slogans supporting Afzal Guru, a convict in the Indian Parliament attack case who was hanged to death in 2013.
The attack on Wednesday was more intense than that of Monday and many journalists were beaten up by a group of lawyers who were holding the tricolor flag. Video footages revealed that they were the same lawyers who attacked journalists.
The lawyers were protesting against the JNU students and pro-Kanhaiya Kumar groups and they raised slogans branding the students anti-national and agents of Pakistan.
After being appraised of the incidents outside Patiala House court, the Supreme Court of Indian ordered Delhi police chief BS Bassi to ensure Kumar’s protection personally.
The court had sent a group of lawyers with police protection to assess the situation outside Patiala court. “We are concerned about the law and order situation,” a Supreme Court bench said.
The police informed the court that they don’t need Kumar for interrogation anymore. Taking a U-turn from the earlier claim that the police had enough evidence against Kumar, Bassi said on Wednesday that if bail application of Kumar was moved in the court, they would not object it.
“I personally feel, a young person… perhaps be given bail,” he told media persons.
Journalists accused that police were present in huge numbers when they were attacked and the police didn’t do anything to protect them and control the lawyers.
But commissioner Bassi said that Kumar was not beaten up and it was not appropriate to use police force to control the lawyers.
“I do not think he was beaten up… We expected jostling and considering that, he was escorted by a requisite number of police officers. He was taken care of by our officers. I do not think you can call the situation today went out of hand,” he said.
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said that the Home Ministry had asked Delhi police commissioner to submit a report of the incidents.
“I have spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner and asked him to send a report by evening,” he said. “The Supreme Court is apprised of the matter. It is a very serious matter. If anyone has violated the law, action will be taken in accordance with law,” he added.
OP Sharma, a Delhi MLA of BJP who allegedly had attacked journalists and students on Tuesday outside the court, is yet to be charged. When asked about this, Bassi said that they have issued him a summon.
Meanwhile, in a similar incident, students conducted a pro-Afzal Guru rally at Jadavpur University in Kolkata and students from universities across the nation are coming up in support of JNU.
Nine other students charged by the police for conducting anti-national program have been absconding since the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar.