Torch light march at JNU against "witch-hunt" of students

New Delhi: The students and teachers agitating at JNU against the sedition charges imposed on six students of the varsity, on Wednesday took out a torch light march from Ganga Dhaba to Chandrabhaga hostel demanding that the ongoing "witch-hunt" should stop.

Holding "mashaals" in their hands, the students shouted "JNU long-live" and "Save JNU" slogans as they carried out the solidarity march.

"We had carried out a similar march when our president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested. Yesterday two of our comrades surrendered before police so we are taking out a similar march praying for justice for them. The way students are being targeted and witch-hunted needs to stop," JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora said.

Candle light marches and protest rallies which are common sight at JNU have intensified ever since Kanhaiya was arrested in a sedition case in connection with an event on campus against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

Sucheta De, National President, All India Students Association said, "we do not believe in any sort of confrontation with any other group or indulging in any violence. We are carrying out peaceful protests and marches and we want student unity will long live and so will JNU".

Ever since the controversy broke out, the teachers have been taking open-air "nationalism" lectures at varsity's administration block, however, no session took place today as the students gathered for the solidarity march which began around 9.30 PM.

Expressing happiness over the statements being received by the students union from varsities across the globe, Shehla said, "we have not been targeted for the so called anti-national tag but because we have stood by students of all varsities whenever need be. We kick-started the Occupy UGC movement, we demanded justice for Rohith Vemula and we are overwhelmed in the manner the varsities across the country have reciprocated the support".

The five students, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, JNUSU General Secretary Rama Naga, Ashutosh Kumar and Anant Prakash had gone missing from the campus since February 12 after Kanhaiya was arrested on sedition charge for allegedly raising anti-India slogans in a controversial event at the campus.

While Khalid and Anirban surrendered late last night, the remaining trio have refused to surrender maintaining that they are ready to cooperate with police as and when approached.