JNU debate: 'Both Kanhaiya Kumar, Kamlesh Tiwari must be out of jail to speak their minds'

New Delhi: Reacting to the ongoing debate on freedom of speech over arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar for his alleged 'anti-national' slogans in Jawaharlal Nehru University, author and columnist Tarek Fatah on Saturday came out in support of Kamlesh Tiwari who was arrested for his remarks on Prophet Muhammad.

Fatah, who is quite active among Twitteratis, wrote, “In India's ongoing debate about freedom of speech, both #KanhaiyaKumar and #KamleshTiwari must be out of prison & free to speak their minds.”

In India's ongoing debate about freedom of speech, both #KanhaiyaKumar and #KamleshTiwari must be out of prison & free to speak their minds.— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) February 20, 2016

Kamlesh, who claimed to be working president of Hindu Mahasabha, had called Prophet Muhammad the first homosexual in the world.

Protesters under the banner of 'Ittehad-e-Millat' had carried out massive protests demanding he be beheaded for his derogatory remarks against the Prophet.

It was only after Tiwari was arrested that the tension eased.

On the other hand, Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy in connection with an alleged anti-national event inside JNU premises.

A case was registered on February 11 under Sections of 124 A (sedition) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC against unknown persons at Vasant Kunj (North) Police station following complaints by BJP MP Maheish Girri and the ABVP.

A group of students had on February 9 held an event in the campus and allegedly shouted slogans against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013.