JNU students deserve stringent punishment

There is no iota of doubt that protest by JNU students led by student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya against the hanging of parliament attack mastermind Afzal Guru in February 2016 was a pre-planned conspiracy. The Delhi police special cell after a detailed investigation filed a charge sheet against Kanhaiya Kumar and two others invoking sedition, criminal conspiracy and other crimes incidental to their behaviour during the protest of IPC are absolutely in order. 

As the slogans by the protestors eulogising the enemies of the nation and criticising the government are not only unacceptable in a civilised democratic society but has wide ramifications in the long run if ignored. The police acted swiftly to arrest ten protestors including seven Kashmiri students is a right step. However, the claims of the accused that charge-sheet filed after nearly three years just ahead of elections is nothing but political vendetta, therefore will not stand the test of law is only a figment of their imagination. 

As the police were on the task from day one collecting concrete evidence and unravelled the truth to nail all the accused involved in criminal conspiracy against the nation is indisputable, the question of delay raised by accused to escape punishment does not arise. In fact, when evidence clearly points out at all the three accused raising anti-national slogans at high pitch drew attention from everyone around, there is no escape as it is a serious offence. Therefore, the plea that they have been falsely implicated is baseless. Summing up, all the accused must be handed out stringent punishment as per the sedition law so that it serves as an eye-opener to others not to indulge in anti-national activities.

 - K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad