JNU is not a terrorist centre, says Arvind Kejriwal

In his open letter to the PM, the Delhi CM urged for action against 'anarchist elements', demanding the release of those arrested at JNU

New Delhi: Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to use nationalism to create fear psychosis, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday said it was wrong to dub the Jawaharlal Nehru University as "a terrorist centre".

Kejriwal said, “It is extremely dangerous that the JNU incident is being portrayed to show this institution as a terrorist centre.” Pic/PTI

In an open letter, Kejriwal also urged Modi to act against "lumpen and anarchist elements" like Delhi BJP legislator OP Sharma who was filmed attacking a CPI activist outside a court here on Monday.

Kejriwal said he denounced the reported anti-India slogans raised at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, and added "it is not correct to convert nationalism into a device for creating a fear psychosis by using constitutional institutions to run them according to whims and fancies...It is extremely dangerous that the JNU incident is being portrayed to show this institution as a terrorist centre."

"It is completely wrong to brand such a prestigious institution as a centre of terrorists," he said. Kejriwal also demanded "immediate action" against Sharma and asked for the immediate release of the innocents arrested in JNU.

'Questioning nation's integrity is sedition'

Jammu: Hitting out at political parties who are targeting the government over the JNU row, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office said, “When one questions the very existence and integrity of the republic, then it goes beyond dissent,” he said. “When the nation has drawn a bottom line on where politics should end, it is for all of us to understand where dissent ends and sedition begins,” Singh said, adding that “even the most advanced democracies of the world”, including the US and the UK, have consensus on these issues. He said the impression being projected by some parties that students are being harassed is misplaced.

Delhi HC dismisses plea for NIA probe

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court yesterday dismissed a petition seeking NIA probe in the JNU sedition case, saying, "Let the police investigate first. We cannot step in unless necessary," a bench of Justice Manmohan said, adding, "The present writ petition is premature and is dismissed."
Delhi police probing financial links

Police are probing suspected “financial links” between terror outfits and students allegedly involved in the raising of anti-India slogans at JNU, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said yesterday. He said the evidence in the matter so far supports the registration of a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy.

Arvind Kejriwal slammed on Twitter for allegedly insulting Hanuman

CM Arvind Kejriwal’s cartoon tweet hurts religious sentiments: BJP

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has come under fire yet again after he shared a cartoon on Twitter, which is being deemed controversial by social media users. In the cartoon, made by Surendra and published in today's The Hindu, a man similar to the Hindu god Hanuman (on his flight back to Ram after setting Lanka on fire) is shown flying across to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and saying, "Done Sir. All attention is on JNU", while Modi stands in front of a stage full of issues such as 'Pathankot, Rohith, Make In India'.

pic.twitter.com/gUPIjh1mBA

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 16, 2016

Soon after Kejriwal tweeted out the cartoon, Netizens went into a frenzy labelling him as "sickular" and blaming him for insulting the Hindu god Hanuman.

— Atul Sharma (@Atul_k_sharma) February 16, 2016

@ArvindKejriwal You insulted Hanuman on 'Tuesday'! Make sure you go to Hanuman temple every Tuesday with ur muffler.#KejriwalinsultsHanuman

— Anmol Sharma (@AnmolSharma_) February 16, 2016

— Sagar Khandelwal (@Khandelw13Sagar) February 16, 2016

Kamlesh Tiwari is jailed for insulting Prophet. Arrest @ArvindKejriwal for insulting Hanuman. @BhimBassi @HMOIndia #KejriwalInsultsHanuman

— Phanindra (@ImPhanindra) February 16, 2016

— Phanindra (@ImPhanindra) February 16, 2016

#KejriwalInsultsHanuman arrest that traitor Kejriwal for insulting Lord hanuman #jnu

— Asutosh Nanda (@asunanda50) February 16, 2016

— Reian Jain (@ReianSpeaks) February 16, 2016

Filed complaint agnst @ArvindKejriwal for his derogatory twitter post on Lord Hanuman #KejriwalInsultsHanuman pic.twitter.com/fJwb7v15Ww

— Karunasagar K (@karunasagarllb) February 16, 2016

It's safe to assume that the cartoon's sentiment resonates with Kejriwal, which is why he shared it on the microblogging platform. The CM even met Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the JNU row, suggesting that he was against the arrest of JNUSU president, Kanhaiya Kumar.

The question here, however, is: Should Kejriwal be lambasted for merely sharing a cartoon?