Over a year since anti-national slogans were allegedly raised on JNU campus on February 9 in 2016, propelling it to the centre of a countrywide debate on nationalism, JNU sedition case continue to grab eyeballs. The case has come to the fore even as protests rock Delhi University campuses following recent violence at the Ramjas college which saw clashes between ABVP and Left-backed AISA over cancellation of a seminar invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid following opposition the RSS’ students’ wing. What had started in picturesque campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, is now spreading to other campuses.

1. On February 9 in 2016, an event was organised in JNU in which anti-India slogans were said to have been raised. The event was reportedly held against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged in 2013 on the same date.

2. Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar has been at the centre of controversy since February last year when he was arrested in a sedition case over the February 9 event. Apart from Kanhaiya, Umar Khalid and another student, Anirban Bhattacharya, were also arrested in the same case.

3. The varsity had taken action against several students, including Kanhaiya, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, in connection with the event held. The appellate authority of the university had rusticated Umar from JNU till December 2016, while Anirban was asked to be out of the varsity for five years.

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4. Kanhaiya Kumar, involved in the sedition row, had questioned the power of a university panel to determine his guilt of alleged indiscipline in connection with the February 2016 event.

5. After a year of controversies following the arrest of student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and two others on sedition charges, JNU administration still treads cautiously to maintain “peace and harmony” in the campus

JNU student Kanhaiya Kumar, out on bail in the sedition case, had joined the anti-ABVP march at the Delhi University demanding “non-violence” on campuses even as ABVP members raised “go back Kanhaiya” slogans.

The protest march by students and teachers of various universities here came after widespread violence between ABVP and AISA members on February 22 at the DU’s Ramjas College.

The clashes took place over cancellation of an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid for addressing a seminar at the College.

Kanhaiya, who led the protesters in shouting his traditional “azaadi” slogans, clarified at the march that he wasn’t participating in the protest as a “JNU student or Leftist” but as a student like others who are demanding “non-violence on university campuses”.

“You (ABVP) can’t enforce one particular ideology on anyone and there should be room for discussion. You differ with our idea of patriotism, nationalism, free speech or anything under the sun. Come have a discussion with us but kindly don’t indulge in any violence,” he said while addressing the protesters.

ABVP supporters, objected to his visit on the DU campus and shouted slogans of “go back Kanhaiya” and tried to disrupt his speech.

(With agency inputs)