Stoking the smoldering issue of February 9 "anti-national" row of 2016, the RSS affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in its bid to corner the "Left Unity" in the JNU Students' Union polls, came out with a picture of the controversial event portraying the Left Unity presidential candidate NSai Balaji, raising slogans and holding poster along with others.
It may be recalled that the controversial event was organised to protest against the death sentence of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and it had generated controversy as "anti-national" slogans were allegedly raised.
ABVP in order to gain edge over the Left Unity in JNUSU polls, has planned to reach out to the common students with the picture by widely circulating it on social media and elsewhere. A senior ABVP functionary said that the posters of the picture would be pasted all over the JNU campus for the common students to see. He claimed that there are certain videos on You-Tube channel that clearly show that Left Unity presidential candidate participated in the event and raised "anti-national" slogans.
However, ABVP dragging the name of N. Sai Balaji two years after the occurrence of event and just before the polls is perceived among academic circle as its sheer attempt to gain ascendance over the united left front by playing the card of "nationalism" and projecting the Left Unity candidate as "anti-national".
The February 9 event was organized by an ultra-leftist student organization to protest against the death sentence of the parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in which members of other left student organizations also joined. The event landed into controversy after ABVP objected alleging that anti-national slogans like "Bharat tere tukde honge, Insha Allah, Insah Allah" were raised.
N Sai Balaji, has refuted the charges claiming the pictures and videos to be "morphed" and "doctored". He denied having any contact with those who were the organizers of the event. Adding, no charge-sheet has been filed by the Delhi police in the case.
"They have started a slander campaign on social media. The real issues are fund cut in higher education, privatization and commercialization of education, the suspected fee-hike, abolition of JNU's GSCASH among others. The ABVP has no answer to the real issues students are facing and are only creating a false narrative," said N Sai Balaji.
Meanwhile, Gaurav Jha , coordinator of the central panel of ABVP for JNUSU alleged that NSai Balaji was active participant in the "anti-national" protest.
"He was the active participant of the protest and can be seen sloganeering. We will share the You-Tube video. He is an active member of 'tukde-tukde' gang," said Jha. ABVP said that the two main issues on which ABVP is contesting are "nationalism" and "development".
JNUSU elections are slated on 14 September while the world famous presidential debate is on 12 September. The major left parties are contesting the elections in coalition against the right wing ABVP. ABVP's presidential candidate is Lalit Pandey while total 8 candidates are in fray for JNUSU presidential post.