NEW DELHI (TIP): The protests in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) began on Wednesday, Feb 10, when Left-oriented students’ group planned to organise a cultural program and a protest march to protest against the ‘Judicial Killing of Afzal Guru’ and also to dislplay solidarity with Kashmiri migrants who are struggling at varsity’s Sabarmati Dhaba.
The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest outside the office of the vice chancellor to protest over the event against the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Feb 11
- JNU set up a proctorial committee on to inquire into an event organised by some former members of Democratic Students’ Union (DSU) that led to violent clashes on the campus.
- Maheish Giri, the BJP Lok Sabha member from East Delhi, on Thursday, Feb 11 lodges an FIR against ‘anti-national’ students of Jawaharlal Nehru University who opposed the death penalty to parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Feb 12
- Talking tough, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, Feb 12, warns of
“strongest possible” action against those involved in raising anti-India slogans at an event in JNU campus here, saying such activities will not be tolerated. - Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani is booked for sedition in connection with an event at Press Club of India, in which a group shouted slogans hailing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
- The president of Jawaharlal Nehru University’s students union (JNUSU) is arrested by Delhi police, in a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy.
- Left parties question the arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and asks Delhi Police to not act in “connivance” with ABVP to target “entire Left” even as they likened the ongoing developments in the varsity campus to “situations during Emergency”.
- Union minister Kiren Rijiju says the government will not allow anyone to spread anti-national sentiment in the country.
- 8 students get debarred from academic activities by JNU pending a disciplinary enquiry into an event at varsity against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
- Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi says Modi government “bullying” an institution like JNU was “completely condemnable”, but at the same time asserted that anti-India sentiment is “unquestionably unacceptable”.
Feb 13
- Delhi police issued an alert across the country in the wake of a tweet allegedly posted by 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed. Tweet said, “We request our Pakistani Brothers to trend
#SupportJNU for our pro-Pakistani JNUites brothers.” - A group of ex-army officials threaten to return their degrees as mark of protest. Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury meets Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the JNU campus incidents and demands the release of a student leader arrested over sedition charges.
- Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserts that no innocent will be harassed but the guilty “will not be spared” as Left leaders met him questioning the police action against students including arrest of JNUSU leader.
- Delhi police have detains seven students in connection with the JNU campus row.
- Union Minister Kiren Rijiju says the premier academic institute cannot be allowed to be a hub of anti-national activities.
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal orders a magisterial inquiry into the JNU incident and accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using police to “terrorise everyone” even as he asserted that anti-national activities should not be tolerated under any circumstances and those guilty must be identified and punished.
- Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi says the government is trying to crush students’ voice in the country by ordering police action in university campuses.
- Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders who criticised the arrest of a JNU student leader, BJP alleges that they were speaking in the voice of terror outfit LeT which was an insult to the martyrs and would boost the morale of anti-national forces.
- Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma alleges that he was attacked physically by ABVP activists in JNU campus when he was returning with Rahul Gandhi after attending a protest meeting held by students there.
Feb 14
- “Please do not call my son a terrorist,” says JNUSU President Kanhaiya’s mother as she breaks down while watching the news flashes on TV at a neighbour’s house in Bihar’s Begusarai district.
- Rajnath Singh appeals to political parties to unite in opposing incidents where anti-national slogans are raised.
- Delhi police says enough evidence for sedition charges.
Feb 15
- JNU students go on strike till Kanhaiya Kumar is released. Shiv Sena says all politicians who support the students’ agitation should be stripped off their ‘elected status’ and those raising slogans against India put behind bars.
- The Delhi Police again filled the role of a “silent spectator” as attackers defied the Supreme Court’s order for restricted entry to the trial court complex, bashed up Kanhiya Kumar en route to his court hearing and hurled the choicest abuse, gravel and a jagged end of a flowerpot piece at a six-member team of senior advocates, including Kapil Sibal, hand-picked by the Supreme Court to verify and report back on the ground situation in the court complex.
Feb 16
- Delhi police have formally arrested ex-Delhi university teacher S A R Geelani in connection with the JNU campus row case. Delhi police launches a hunt for several students who are on the run.
- A First Information Report (FIR) registered over some lawyers thrashing journalists at Patiala House court. JNU teachers join students in boycotting classes in protest against arrest of its student union leader in a sedition case and say they would take classes on
“nationalism” in the varsity lawns. - Congress condemns the attack on teachers and journalists in Patiala House court premises, calling it an “act of facism”. Delhi High Court rejects petition seeking NIA probe into JNU incident.
- Delhi journalists stage a protest march against the violence that took place in Patiala House Courts on Monday, where some of them as well as students were beaten up.
Feb 17
- Lawyers turn lawless again. Mobs of lawyers heckled journalists and kicked and punched Kanhaiya Kumar when he was brought to court to face sedition charges on Wednesday, prompting the Supreme Court to ask officials to ensure the JNU student leader’s safety.
Feb 18
- A snowballing political row over the JNU crisis reached the President’s doorstep on Thursday as Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal attacked the Centre and sought Pranab Mukherjee’s intervention to resolve the issue.
Feb 19
- No relief for Kanhaiya Kumar, SC transfers bail plea to Delhi HC.