Delhi: Calls for hoisting saffron flags in JNU, two arrested

NEW DELHI: Two people were arrested on Sunday for uploading a video on social media threatening to enter Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Independence Day to hoist saffron flags. The action was taken by police following complaints from students and office bearers of JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU).
The arrested men, Vikas Sehrawat (30) and Raja Kumar (19), are both residents of Uttam Nagar. A case has been lodged under IPC sections 153A (offence of promoting disharmony/enmity or feeling of hatred) 295A (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion), 505 (intent to incite any class or community) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).
While Sehrawat was the one who spoke in the video, Kumar’s phone was used to upload it on social media. Earlier, Sehrawat was arrested on August 11 for allegedly abusing and posting an objectionable video about a woman politician on social media.
DCP (Southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said, “Vasant Kunj North police station got a call from a JNU student saying a video had been uploaded on the Facebook page of Ek Mahakal Youth Brigade saying they would attack the university on Sunday. A student was also contacted on his mobile phone. After receiving the call, cops were deployed in plainclothes at all JNU gates. The caller also came to the police station to file the complaint. JNUSU office bearers also gave a similar complaint alleging that the video promoted disharmony and enmity between religions, using inflammatory language and openly issuing threats of physical hurt.”
The complaint signed by four JNUSU officer bearers mentioned, “This is to bring to your urgent attention that on August 9 and 14, a Facebook page by the name of Mahakal Youth Brigade uploaded videos making an open call to gather and march into the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on August 15 from 12pm to 6pm to hoist saffron flags. In both the videos, there was an open call for violence on students, along with hate speech towards Muslims. Considering the fact that the JNU campus has been a witness to similar acts of planned and coordinated violence in the past, with the events of January 5, 2020 serving as a reminder, it is appealed that all necessary precautions be taken to ensure that harmony and peace is upheld.”
JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh also submitted a complaint to the university chief security officer asking them to take action to prevent any untoward incident. The university administration did not comment on the matter.