- NHRC report says Delhi police psychologically tortured by police.
- Former Delhi University Professor SAR Geelani’s bail plea dismissed in Patiala House Court.
- Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar moves Delhi High Court for bail.
- Kanhaiya’s effigy burnt by lawyers marching from Patiala House Court to India Gate.
- Lawyers march in protest against JNU supporters.
- Delhi Police will not oppose Kanhaiya Kumar’s bail plea.
- Supreme Court has refused to hear Kanhaiya’s bail plea.
- Kanhaiya Kumar complained of chest pain before appearing in Supreme Court.
- Delhi Police chief BS Bassi has been dropped from list of probables for information commissioner amid recent events at JNU.
JNUSU Vice President Calls For Another Solidarity March
Vice president of the JNU students’ union has called for another solidarity march on Saturday, 20 February as the union’s president Kanhaiya Kumar remains in Tihar jail.
Buses will be organised from inside the campus to transport the students. The last solidarity march held on Thursday, 18 February saw a massive response as thousands of people had gathered.
Play-Writer Girish Karnad Stands With JNU
Playwright Girish Karnad joined the members of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) protesting against the arrest of JNU students’ union leader Kanhaiya Kumar in Bengaluru on Friday.
Karnad was also in the forefront of the protest by the students of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) when BJP member and TV actor Gajendra Chouhan was appointed as the chairman of the premier institute.
Union Minister Blames Media For Making Kanhaiya “Hero”
Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad has blamed the media for making a “hero” out of JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar.
He also added that the pro-Afzal Guru slogans are insulting to the judiciary as he was a key conspirator in 2001 Parliament attack.
Our government fully respects the freedom of dissent and also expression of ideas. In case of Afzal Guru, now it is 2016 ,and our friends need to recall that he was the principal conspirator of the attack on Parliament in 2001. I was there at that time. If our security forces had not sacrificed their lives and if even one of the terrorists had entered the Parliament House, all the political leaders would have been killed.Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communications and Information Technology
He also stated that the media has only made a “hero” out of a person who was present when pro-Afzal Guru slogans were raised, effectively bringing “the entire judicial system to disrepute”.
NHRC Report Contradicts Police
A report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that the attack on JNU students’ union president in Patiala House Court was pre-planned.
Kanhaiya Kumar did not complain of any physical assault by the police, he was subjected to psychological pressure during interrogation.NHRC Report
The report also adds that the appeal written in Hindi which was circulated by the Delhi police, was not written by Kanhaiya Kumar.
Going by the sequence of events, the safety and security of Kanhaiya Kumar and his family members is a serious cause of concern.NHRC Report
Kanhaiya’s parents in Begusarai have, however, refused the protection offered to them by the Bihar government.