Upset over Kanhaiya Kumar's statement about Army, man attacks him inside JNU campus

A man attacked Kanhaiya Kumar in JNU on Thursday.

Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) President Kanhaiya Kumar was on Thursday roughed up by a man on the university campus.

The varsity's security held the accused man, who identified himself as Vikas Chaudhary, a builder from Ghaziabad, detained him at the administration block and called police.

According to students and teachers present there, the attacker called Kanhaiya for an interaction when he was attending the "nationalism" lecture at the varsity's administration block.

"Kanhaiya went to a corner to talk to him where the man started abusing him and, following an argument, slapped him. Seeing this, many students and university's security guards rushed to rescue him," a student said.

When police asked for a formal complaint to initiate legal action against the alleged offender, the students refused to do so as of now saying, they have submitted an undertaking to the university's security department that the students would not file a police complaint and that the varsity authorities were free to take a call on the issue.

University authorities, when contacted said, they have got to know about the attack from media reports and whether or not they will approach the police will be decided tomorrow, as per PTI.

Later, talking to the press, Vikas said that he was upset with Kumar over his remarks regarding the Army.

"Kanhaiya has abused the nation, he has abused our Army by raising allegations against our soldiers. He shouted anti-national slogans and also sided with anti-national people, that is why I attacked him," he said.

On the other hand, Kumar said while addressing the students, "You can hurt me, you can silence me but you cannot scare me... If you will try to hurt me then remember Rohith Vemula. You killed one Rohith and so many have stood up, now if you will hurt someone else then imagine how many will stand up (against you)," as per IANS.

"It is not important what you write against me. It is not important that today you slapped me tomorrow you may stab me with knife. For us, the people of JNU, our own lives have never been important. We always think of nation and its future," Kumar added.

"They are doing such activities very cleverly and carefully. First they priced my tongue and tried to provoke me so that I can retaliate. But I didn't say anything... Then they priced my neck for Rs.11 lakh, I didn't say anything then also... But now you've attacked our home (JNU). It's an attack on university, its tradition and what it stands for," Kumar said.

Kanhaiya faces sedition charges in connection with an event on campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

He was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court last week after spending 18 days in jail.

The students and teachers of the varsity had expressed apprehension about Kanhaiya's security after he was attacked by a group of lawyers in Patiala Court premises on February 17. The Delhi police has asked the varsity authorities to intimate them about Kanhaiya's movements outside the campus.

(With Agency inputs)