lending support to the arrested JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and the students who allegedly raised anti-India slogans on university campus, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to come up with evidence that the student leader was involved in an act of sedition and also prove his charge that leT chief Hafiz Saeed was supporting the students.
“A nefarious campaign has been unleashed to defame a prestigious institution like JNU and impose the RSS backed ideologies. The Centre for no reason is unhappy with JNU and trying to blur its character. There are people who think that only their ideology is patriotic and others anti-national. All is being done at the instance of RSS through ABVP,” Nitish alleged.
Supporting Kanhaiya Kumar, who hails from Begusarai in Bihar, and the left parties, the CM said nobody could believe that they are involved in anti-national activities despite having differences with their ideologies.
Nitish posed a question to BJP leadership why their leader Ram Madhav had discussion with the Independent J&K MlA who has been campaigning in favour of Afzal Guru during the formation of a Government there and what action was taken against him.
He said he was opposed to the raising of anti-India slogans adding, the incident should be thoroughly investigated. He also lashed out at efforts to eulogise Gandhi’s murderer Nathuram Godse and participation of certain BJP leaders in those events.
“They should not have think that being in power they can impose their ideologies on others. The ABVP wants to run all the universities on its whims. Sedition is wrong if proved but before labeling this charge on any individual or party one should show convincing proof,” Bihar CM said.
Nitish also announced legal action against all those who wrongly quoted him on Ishrat Jehan, the girl from Bihar who was killed in an encounter in Gujarat. “I never said that she was ‘Bihar ki beti’ (Bihar’s daughter) and anyone who wrongly quoted me as saying this and publishing or airing it, I will proceed legally against them. The legal proceeding is under way,” he said.
After David Headley’s revelation that Ishrat was associated with leT, some Opposition leaders had sought Nitish’s apology for calling her RsBihar ki beti.’
Nitish who was interacting with the media on the sidelines of his weekly janata darbar after a long gap, said there was nothing unusually wrong in Bihar and his Government was committed to take on criminals irrespective of their position and party affiliation.
Asked about the failure of Bihar police in nabbing RJD MlA Rajballabh Yadav who is accused in a rape case, he said, “Action is under way and he would be arrested and there will be speedy trial.
Whosoever breaking law and involved in heinous crime will be taken to task without any discrimination.”
Briefing about his meeting on law and order, the CM said all aspects are being studied and action plan being prepared. All the SPs have been directed to send crime report of their districts by seeking details from each police station and send it to the headquarters and a 24/7 helpline has been arranged in the office of the DGP which will be strictly managed and action initiated. “On Wednesday again I will hold day-long meeting on law and order and will speak to all zonal IGs and SPs through videoconferencing, he said. Asked about the demand of the imposition of President’s rule, he laughed, “let them do it, I will get some time to relax.” He added, “Nothing is unusually abnormal in Bihar. There may be something wrong in the minds of some people.”