A group of students, affiliated to the ‘Bastar Solidarity Network’ in Chattisgarh, on Saturday sought to disrupt a programme of Kanhaiya Kumar during the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet, opposing the student leader’s participation in the event.
Around 30 students, according to PTI news agency, abruptly disrupted the discussion on Kanhaiya’s book ‘Bihar to Tihar: My political journey’ and raised the “Kashmir Maange Azadi” slogan.
Interestingly, the “Kashmir Maange Azadi” slogan had come under scanner after right-wing groups alleged that those who had chanted the ‘anti-India’ slogans also included Kanhaiya during the JNU agitation in Delhi February, 2016.
Kanhaiya was arrested by Delhi police with three other fellow Left-leaning students and sent to Tihar. However, the High Court had later intervened to ensure their release in the sedition case slapped on them by Delhi cops, who report to the Centre’s BJP government.
The protesters objected to Kanhaiya’s participation in the event organised by a corporate entity.
“How can Kanhaiya Kumar, who spoke about azadi (freedom), attend an event organised by a corporate entity? He is participating, signing autographs…He too has become a corporate entity,” they alleged.
The protesters also had a heated exchange with the members of the audience who objected to their behaviour. Kanhaiya too tried to reason with them but in vain.