JNU sedition controversy

On 9 February 2016, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) held a protest on their campus against the capital punishment meted out to the 2001 Indian Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, and Kashmiri separatist Maqbool Bhat. The organizers of the event were former members of the Democratic Students Union (DSU). The event was held despite the University administration withdrawing permission for the event shortly before it was due to begin, due to protests by members of the Hindu nationalist student union ABVP. The event saw clashes between various student groups. A small group of individuals, whom a later investigation described as outsiders to the University wearing masks, shouted "anti-India" slogans. The slogans were criticized by many individuals, including political leaders and students of JNU.

Four days after the event, JNU Students' Union President Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested by the Delhi police and charged with sedition. Two other students were arrested soon afterwards. The arrests drew heavy criticism from many sections of society, on the grounds that the Bharatiya Janata Party government was attempting to silence political dissent. Thousands of students, faculty, and staff protested the arrest at JNU, and classes at the University were stopped for several days. The arrest was also criticized by a number of prominent scholars internationally.

Investigations into the incident were carried out by the Delhi government and the University administration. Both found that the controversial slogans had been shouted by outsiders to the University. The arrested students were all granted bail, with the judge noting in one case that there was no evidence of the accused shouting slogans. However, the University inquiry found a number of students to have violated University rules and enacted sanctions, varying from fines to rustication, on 21 students. In response, the students went on an indefinite hunger strike. The Delhi High Court suspended the enactment of the University sanctions on the condition that the students end their strike. The hearing on this issue has been postponed to 19 October.

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Wikipedia