City Police intensified the investigation in connection with the display of ‘Free Kashmir’ placard during a protest at Manasagangotri, the campus of University of Mysore (UoM), here, recently.
The police recorded the statements of a few organisers of the protest. It has to be noted that a protester, also a student, had displayed the ‘Free Kashmir’ placard during the protest organised by UoM Researchers Association, Dalit Vidyarthi Okkuta, Bahujan Vidyarthi Sangha, Students’ Federation of India, and All India Democratic Students Organisation, to oppose the attack on students and teachers on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in New Delhi, recently.
Following the incident of Wednesday night, Jayalakshmipuram police had registered a suo motu case under IPC Section 124A (sedition) on Thursday.
A leader of an organisation, who wished to maintain anonymity, said that the organisation and the student, who displayed the placard has no connection. The person is an alumnus of the varsity, he said. However, the Police department denied it.
“We have speeded up the investigation and have issued a notice to six persons to attend the investigation. However, the culprit, who displayed the placard, is yet to be confirmed,” said a police officer.
ABVP protest
The members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest, demanding the immediate arrest of the culprit, near Gun House Circle, here. The protesters alleged that the display of ‘Free Kashmir’ placard is an attempt to malign the UoM campus, to depict it into an anti-national activities hub. The police must take immediate measures against the organisations which had called for the protest. However, the police stopped ABVP members from protesting as there had not obtained permission.
UoM submits report
The university has sent a detailed report about the incident to the Office of Karnataka Governor. Following the incident, the Governor’s Office had sought a report from the varsity.
No role, claims AIDSO
District secretary of All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) Chandrakala, in a press statement, claimed that the members of AIDSO were also a part of the protest at UoM, but, the organisation or its members have no connection with the ‘Free Kashmir’ placard.
The press release has mentioned that some unknown person, not connected to the organisation, displayed a placard reading ‘Free Kashmir’. “As an all India students body, we are of the opinion that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Moreover, the protest on that day had nothing to do with Kashmir. Therefore, while condemning the incident, we would also like to insist that, the right of democratic protest of students must be protected,” the note reads.
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