Protesting the observance of Afzal Guru’s hanging day as martyr’s day by a section of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students in New Delhi, the Odisha Budhijibi Manch, a body of intellectuals, has demanded stringent action against the students.
At a Press meet here on Saturday, Manch president and former Vice-Chancellor of the Utkal University of Culture Dr Bimalendu Mohanty said the students should be punished on sedition charges. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) national executive president Dr Badrinath Patnaik said India is a secular country and persons attempting to misuse it cannot be spared.
Sharing Patnaik’s opinion, Odisha Arya Samaj president Arya Kumar Jnanendra said any kind of anti-national activity should not pardoned; else such act would go widen in coming days. Strong action should be taken against the students, he added.
Budhijibi Manch secretary Dr Surendra Mohapatra some people have dared to carry out anti-national activities in the name of intolerance. This should be strongly protested at all level. Any person or institution carrying out such activities should be punished, he added.
Among others, noted educationist Debi Prasanna Patnaik and lawyer Buna Mohanty were present.