Arrest of Sharjeel Imam 'Islamophopia,' attempt to polarise society ahead of polls: JNUSU

The JNU students union (JNUSU) has condemned the arrest of research scholar Sharjeel Imam and accused the BJP government of acting out of “Islamophoia” in order to communally polarise the society ahead of the assembly elections in Delhi.

“The JNUSU has already expressed its strong disagreement with his (Imam's) statements and political opinions but the alacrity shown by the Delhi Police in this matter shows their brazen hypocrisy and selective approach to whip up a jingoistic fervour in order to brand all opposition to them as anti-national,” the students body said in a statement.

The JNUSU slammed the government over slapping of sedition charge against Imam and registration of FIR against him under the anti-terror law, Unlawful Assembly (Prevention) Act, calling it as “utterly shameful and condemnable”.

“The highlighting of his speech, as well as the arrests, are politically motivated actions with a view to criminalise the peaceful and democratic upsurge against the CAA-NRC-NPR, and reap electoral dividends based on communal polarization. The BJP RSS want to criminalise Muslims on an unprecedented scale through witch hunts and media trials,” the students body alleged

Noting that Imam, a PhD students of JNU, surrendered to the police and expressed his faith in the legal system and the law, the JNUSU said it stands in defence for his right to a fair enquiry under the Constitution.

“The JNUSU stands against selective and motivated witch hunts, the student's body said demanding that “all draconian sections” of the Unlawful Assembly (Prevention) Act and sedition charge imposed on Imam should be revoked.

The student's body also slammed the JNU administration for serving a proctorial enquiry notice on Imam.

“This shameful act of grovelling to please its political masters reeks of Islamophobia and selective bias. It is known for a fact that the Chief Proctor's office has till date not taken any action against the perpetrators of the January 5 violence in JNU,” the JNUSU said.