Demanding strict action against JNU students who allegedly raised “anti-India” slogans on February 9 event held on the campus to hail Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, hundreds of ABVP supporters marched from Ramlila Maidan to Jantar Mantar on Wednesday chanting various slogans including “Vande Matram” and “Jai Shree Ram”.
Addressing the gathering at Ramlila Maidan, while some ABVP student leaders said they will even go into the JNU campus to shoot the “anti-nationals” if needed, Joint Secretary of ABVP’s JNU wing Sourabh Kumar made an appeal to the students not to resort to violence over the issue.
“February 9 was not the first time that the unfortunate incident happened in JNU, which shows their intent. And the sold-out media is supporting and trying to save the anti-national elements… But I warn them that the youth present here will cross all limits and won’t tolerate such activities,” said Satinder Awana, president of the Delhi University Students’ Union.
“Currently, we are holding a peaceful protest… But if needed, we will shoot them on the streets. And we are not just making a speech, I dare them (JNU students) to do it again… If needed, we will shoot
them inside the JNU campus,” he added.
On the other hand, however, JNU General Secretary of ABVP Sourabh appealed to the students not to resort to violence over the issue. “It is a fight of not just ABVP students but of 125 crore people… We will keep fighting as we have been doing. But I appeal to the nation, the student community and the politicians not to resort to violence over this issue,” he said.
He added that he has full faith in the courts and hopes that it will take strict action against the guilty. “But if anyone is proven innocent, I will personally welcome them with open arms,” he added.
The slogan-shouting RSS’ student wing leaders and volunteers, with several wrapped in saffron flags and wielding the tricolour, marched down from Ramlila Maidan to Jantar Mantar, partially affecting traffic on the Tolstoy Road.
There were slogans like “Afzal ka jo yaar hai, wo desh ka gaddar hai” (Friends of Afzal Guru are traitors), “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko” (Those who are traitors, shoot them) and “Bharat mein yadi rehna hoga, Vande Matram kehna hoga” (If you wish to stay in India, you have to say Vande Matram), among others. A 160-feet-long national flag was also carried by volunteers apart from placards that had slogans like Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat Ma ka Ye Apmaan, Nahin Sahega Hindustan (India won’t tolerate insult to Mother India) and Kashmir Bharat ka Abbhin Aang hai (Kashmir is integral part of India).
Some slogans raised by a section of protesters also targeted other political parties and leaders, including Rahul Gandhi: “Naxalbaad ho barbad” (Naxalism should be destroyed), “Kejriwal ho barbad” (Kejriwal should be destroyed) and “Sonia jiski mummy hai, wo aulad nikammi hai” (targeted at Rahul Gandhi calling him incompetent).
Addressing the rally at Jantar Mantar, ABVP’s National General Secretary Vinay Bidri condemned the controversial February 9 event.
“We cannot tolerate anyone raising slogans that threaten the unity of the country. ABVP shall not tolerate such anti- national forces. We demand strict action against all those students involved in raising anti-national slogans in the campus,” Bidri said.
The rally is being seen as a counter to the back-to-back demonstrations organised by the predominantly left and Ambedkarite student bodies against the arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charge and the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.