What MPs from JNU said

Sitaram Yechury CPI(M)

> Was in JNU from 1973 -78. Did MA (Economics), could not complete his PhD due to his arrest during Emergency. After Emergency, he was elected JNU Students’ Union president thrice in one year (1977-78).

“It is absolute nonsense. It is only how best to create a better India for all our people, for the Indian people that is uppermost and always predominant in the minds of JNU students and faculty. Yes, there may be differences on that. There may be differences to how to make, how to work to create a better India, but the question of anti-India just don’t arise.”

Ashwani Kumar (Cong)

> Was in JNU from 1976-77. Did M Phil in International Law, Economics and Diplomacy.

“JNU as a university has, throughout its existence, encouraged free thought and free expression. I don’t agree — and reject the suggestion with full force — that an unpalatable view is ground enough to stifle free speech, least of all by invoking the draconian and colonial anti-sedition law. Universities are expected to nurture free thought and free expression… Intellectually honest and uninhibited discourse is the foremost sign of a civilised society. Myopic nationalism pitted against constitutionalism, as argued in certain quarters, is slated only to be rejected.

D P Tripathi (NCP)

> Was in JNU from 1973-77. Did MA and M Phil in Political Science. Was JNUSU president from 1975 to April 1977. During the period, he was underground for four-and-a-half months and in jail for 14 months during Emergency.

“My view is very clear. This is a concerted attack on the institution of JNU which has been a centre of excellence and contributed to different walks of national life. The former students of JNU are serving the government, media, art and literature, and politics also… So this kind of attack on JNU, to describe it as a hub of anti-national activities, is an anti-national act itself.”

Nirmala Sitharaman (BJP) | Union MoS, Commerce & Industry

> Was in JNU from 1980-86. Did MA, M Phil and draft PhD thesis on India and European Union trade relations (A case study of textiles).

“JNU has always had a culture of discussions, political debates and so on. But this time, at least from all the information that is available, that space has been knowingly or unknowingly allowed to be exploited by extremists, separatists, Maoists, Leninist groups. As a result, the freedom of expression, which is very valuable for universities, has been taken over as an instrument for propagating anti-India, India-destroying slogans, and that is where it hurts me.”

LOK SABHA

Harish Chandra Meena (BJP)

> The MP from Dausa in Rajasthan was in JNU from 1973-75.

“As an ex-student of JNU, I’m proud of that institution. It has a big contribution in what I am today. But I condemn anti-national activities, regardless of whether they happen in a university or any other place. It is for the police to decide who did what, but it is not fair to paint an institution as anti-national for acts of individuals. JNU has always had very fierce debates on national and international issues because consciousness levels are very high… There is no denying the fact that people from all kinds of backgrounds come to JNU and make a success out of their lives.”

Bhagirath Prasad (BJP)

> The MP from Bhind in Madhya Pradesh was in JNU from 1971-75, was JNUSU secretary in 1972-73.

“JNU is a wonderful university where bright students come from all over the country and make the institution proud with their academic achievements. It is important that different viewpoints should be protected in a university to help in the flowering of new ideas… However, in this case there were pro-Pakistan slogans, slogans supporting Afzal Guru… The government was apprehensive that there may have been infiltration by terrorists; Hafiz Saeed supported them on Twitter, that is why action has to be taken. It is never a welcome measure to allow police to arrest university students. These are exceptional circumstances. Different ideologies like SFI, AISF and ABVP have always prospered in JNU — in our time there was a group called the Freethinkers. There was never any government intervention, but in this case the government and society got worried by what was happening.

Udit Raj (BJP)

> The MP from North-West Delhi was in JNU from 1980-83. He joined JNU for a BA course in German language, but left as he faced a financial crunch.

“I do not think my party or ABVP consider JNU as an anti-national institute. They are against those extremist elements in the university who raised slogans against the nation and in favour of Afzal Guru. I want those who raised slogans against India to be punished under law.

I do not want the students to misuse the freedom of expression. The law has to take its own course and if any innocent students were arrested, the court will leave them. I do not think the university will
be destroyed. The university has support from all across the world and its alumni are in all premier institutes. It is strong enough to defend itself.”

Maneka Gandhi (BJP) | Union Women and Child Development Minister

> Was in JNU from 1974-77. Joined the German language course.

“No comments on the current situation.”