The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi:
Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra on Tuesday reacted to reports of sloganeering against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), describing it as an expression of frustration by groups he alleged have supported extremists in the past.
Speaking to ANI, Mishra said such slogans reflect anger among those unsettled by action against terrorism, Naxalism, and recent Supreme Court verdicts. “Some people raise slogans against the nation, religion and Supreme Court verdicts, and in support of Afzal Guru, terrorists and Naxals. Terrorists and Naxals are being eliminated, and the Supreme Court has delivered verdicts against those who conspired against Delhi. This is just their frustration,” he said.
CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah also commented on the incident, stating that such slogans should not be raised, while noting that similar incidents have occurred in the past. “These kinds of slogans have been raised many times over the last 50 years. Though they should not be raised, people should be very careful,” he told ANI.
According to media reports, Mishra’s remarks followed an incident on Monday in which a group of JNU students allegedly raised slogans against the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister on campus. The sloganeering reportedly took place after the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, observing that they stood on a “qualitatively different footing” compared to other accused in terms of the prosecution case and evidence. The court noted that their alleged roles were central to the conspiracy.
At the same time, the apex court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad in the same case.
Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others were arrested in January 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots.
