Kanhaiya Kumar the President of Jawahar lal Nehru (JNU) students union reportedly accepted that anti-national activities did take place in the university campus and posters in respect of the cultural programme against the judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt were pasted. The Pioneer has accessed the interrogation report of Kanhaiya Kumar. He told the police that he never endorsed anti-national activities and whatever hapepnend in the university campus should not have taken place.
During his interrogation, at one point of time, he gave contradictory replies about the nature of anti-national activity that took place on February 9. While at one point, he said he was aware of the anti-national posters, at the other, he said he was neither aware nor informed about it. The following are the excerpts of the interrogation:
What programme was organized on 09/02/16 at JNU by you and your political party from 3 pm to 8:30 pmIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar : No programme was organized by me or my party on 09/02/16 and we don’t support any such kind of programme.
The cultural evening poster which has been shown by you bears the names of Anirbhan, Anjali, Anwesha, Aswathi, Bhawana, Komal, Rewaz, Rubina, Umar and Samar and among those who are related to your partyIJ Whether they are JNU students or otherwiseIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar: No one is from my party and yes they are JNU students.
Which is the political party with which you are attached to and what post do you hold in the said party
Kanhaiya Kumar:All India Students’ Federation (AISF). I was unit secretary and member of state unit. Now I am president of JNU Student union.
Who are your friends/associates /members in the said political party
Kanhaiya Kumar: Vishwajeet Kumar, Valli Ullah Kadri, Aparajitha Raja (daughter of Communist Party of India), Arun.
Have you ever visited J&K or Pakistan, if yes when and whyIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar : I have visited Srinagar University once in 2011 or 2012 to attend a seminar. I never visited Pakistan.
As per video footage dated 09/02/16 you are seen in the procession along with Umar Khalid, EX DUSU, Ashutosh, Chapal Serpa, Y Uday Kumar, Chinmaya Mahanand, Bhupali Vithal Magre, Aparajitha Raja, P Srugana Yadav, Bandhu Jystsana, Sweat Jyotsana, Sweat Roy, Chinaiya Mahajan, Aishwarya Adhikari, Gargi Adhikari, Chintu Kumari, Anant Prakash, Ashwati Nair and Ritu, Anirban Bhattacharya among these who are related to your party
Kanhaiya Kumar: Only Aparajitha Raja is the member of my party AISF and others belong to the parties.
Did you make any effort or took steps to stop unlawful activity by the above said students raising anti-national slogans
Kanhaiya Kumar: I was not present at that time. I was not part of the programme which happened at Sabarmati but being president of the student union, I had to take part to stop the fight and clashes at the road which goes from Sabarmati dhaba to Ganga dhaba. I appealed the guard to stop the fight and also appealed the students not to clash with each other. During this, no anti-national sloganeering took placed.
Did you inform the police being president of JNUSU in advance so that clashes could have been avoidedIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar : When we reached there was police present at both Sabarmati and Ganga dabha.
Did you inform JNU administration or security staff of JNU to stop anti-national activityIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar: I was not aware about any such incident.
You are a part of the illegal/unlawful activities on 09/02/16 cultural evening held in JNU as shown footage what do have to sayIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar : On 9/2/2016, I was sleeping during day time and I woke up at 5 pm. After freshening up I came out of my hostel room to have tea and snacks. Outside hostel some students were talking members of ABVP group has blocked a road near at Sabarmati hostel when another group of students were carrying out some cultural programme. The ABVP members have blocked the road which was likely to lead to clashes between two groups. It can become violent and any time a fight an erupt. Holding Parata in my hand, I along with a few students reached Sabarmati hostel on bikes. I saw a police PCR van, policemen and security guard in huge numbers were standing there. On one side were ABVP members shouting slogans. I stopped there and then I saw another group of students were taking out a march shouting slogans.
Both the groups started abusing each other, clash started and each hitting other. I intervened and tried to stop the fight making a human chain between both the groups. I tried to stop both the groups from indulging into fight. The other group again started marching towards Ganga dhaba and ABVP tried to stop them. This continued till both the groups reached Ganga Daba where police were deployed in huge number. After police intervention both the groups were was separated but they started shouting slogans against each other. But no anti-national sloganeering took place at Ganga Dabha. I tried to pacify both the groups. Then I addressed them and gave a speech condemning the entire episode. After my speech ended, both the groups, after few minutes, dispersed.
How will you help us to arrest the co-accused namely Umar Khalid, EX DUSU, Ashutosh, Chapal Serpa, Y Uday Kumar, Chinmaya Mahanand, Bhupali Vithal Magre, Aparajitha Raja, P Srugana Yadav, Bandhu Jystsana, Sweat Jyotsana, Sweat Roy, Chinaiya Mahajan, Aishwarya Adhikari, Gargi Adhikari, Chintu Kumari, Anant Prakash, Ashwati Nair and Ritu and Anirban Bhattacharya
Kanhaiya Kumar: Most of them are student of JNU and stays inside the campus. Apart from this I have no idea about them. Aparajitha is only our party member from these group. I know her very well. Umar Khalid, Sepra, Ashwati, Ashwairya, Ashutosh Prakash are students of JNU and stays in the campus. Rest I don’t know and I have never met them.
Is it correct that the posters in respect of the cultural programme dated 09/02/16 against judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat were pasted in JNU campus
Kanhaiya Kumar: Yes.
Who are the persons /groups who are supporting Khalid, Banojyotsna, Anirban, Reyaz, Rubina, Komal, Ashwati, Anwesha, Anjali Jha,Bhawana Bedi and Samar.
Kanhaiya Kumar: They are students of JNU but I don’t know other details.
Do such activities should be allowed to in JNU campus
Kanhaiya Kumar: No.
Who are the persons/groups financing such programme
Kanhaiya Kumar: I don’t know.
Why did you not removed the posters of cultural evening dated 09/02/16 which was pasted in JNU campus you being president of JNUSU
Kanhaiya Kumar : I was not informed nor was aware about it.
No doubt that freedom of speech and reasonable space in the university is a fundamental right but raising anti-national slogans and supporting the anti-national group is gross misuse of fundamental rights given to you by the constitution of India what do you sayIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar : Yes I agree with these points.
Can you come along with us to find out the above accused person or not. If not then whyIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar: They are from JNU and stays in different hostels. Apart from this I don’t know where they are.
Where to find all the people named aboveIJ
Kanhaiya Kumar: They are from JNU like Umar, Aparajitha, Ashwati Ashwairya, Chintu Ashutosh, Anant. As I believe they can be found in JNU campus only.