The NHRC has issued notices to the Centre, the Delhi government, the Delhi Police and authorities of the Jawaharlal Nehru University over police action on the university campus following a row over an event against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, sources in the panel said on Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Notices were issued after the National Human Rights Commission, took cognisance of media reports about the event where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised, leading to the arrest of JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges, the sources said.
“However, the president of the JNU Students Union, Kanhaiya Kumar, has denied the allegations stating that he went to the spot only to intervene in a clash between two groups. It is also alleged that police is mindlessly patrolling the campus and students are being witch-hunted and demonised for doing nothing.
“It is widely alleged that the action of the police was illegal and high-handed and was an attempt to suppress freedom of speech and expression in academic institutions. It is also alleged that the charge of sedition was falsely added to intimidate those who dissent,” the sources quoted the panel as saying.
ADVERTISEMENT
The NHRC, according to the sources, has sought their response within two weeks.