Nagpur.
Sedition-charged JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Thursday took the city of Nagpur, an RSS bastion, by storm by his fiery speech at jam-packed Dhanwate National College Hall. “This land is not Sanghbhoomi but Deekshabhoomi. Gujarat is not Modi’s state but Gandhi’s state. Nagpur is not Golwalkar’s city but Ambedkar’s city. We should shun Modi Bhakti and instead have Desh Bhakti. Modi is not the Country, RSS is not the Parliament and Manu Smruti is not the Constitution” roared Kanhaiya Kumar to the loud applause from the jam-packed hall.
The firebrand student leader started his speech by greeting the audience with “Lal Salam”, “Jai Bhim.”
“Citizens of Nagpur are priviledged to have the ideologies of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and the inspiring Deekshabhoomi. I had planned to come to Nagpur long time ago, but decided to come to Nagpur on April 14, 2016 so that I could offer his salutations to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and then to take an oath to walk in the footsteps of the Dalit icon,” stated Kumar.
While reacting to the shouting of slogans, he said, “This is a democratic nation and everybody has a democratic right to express his or her opinion. However, throwing stones or shoes is not democratic. As a matter of fact, I am not afraid of stones and shoes as I had been to jail at the behest of the same people. These elements cannot thwart me from expressing my opinion against the existing government.
This is not Sanghbhoomi but Deekshabhoomi. Gujarat is not Modi’s state but Gandhi’s state. Nagpur is not Golwalkar’s city but Ambedkar’s city,” thundered the student leader.
“There is an urgent need to abolish or remove the Bhrahminism from the society. In order to run a nation efficiently, we need people with ‘Full Brains’ and not Half Pants’. The flame that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar lit in the minds and hearts of the masses had led even the United Nations to celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar,” quipped the JNU student leader..
Kumar said that in recent times, many people have suddenly started remembering Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Jai Bhim. However, their remembering Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is with ulterior motives. “Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had advocated principles of respect for every human, equality and dignity to all and had vehemently opposed Bhrahminism and Capitalism,” added he.
Kanhaiya Kumar dared the people who speak of equality and freedom to burn Manu Smruti if they have guts. “Today, these so-called patriots want everybody to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Are the Mata (Mothers) safe in this country? One can see for themselves atrocities on women almost every day. One can see the development and progress of women too. But is it up to the expectations?”
He then went on to say that Chief of RSS Mohan Bhagwat had allegedly said that “women should not come out of their houses”. Kanhaiya then said that we have a vision to run the nation.
“How people wearing half pants can run the nation,” asked Kumar. It was at this moment that a Dalit Student identified as Haridas Shende hurled a shoe at Kanhaiya. The programme had abruptly stopped and the student Haridas Shende who hurled the shoe was practically manhandled by the people on the stage. The QRT personnel and the security staff accompanying Kanhaiya immediately caught him and took him outside safely.
After the incident, Kanhaiya Kumar resumed his speech and said that all those who want to hurl the shoe should kindly throw a pair so that some poor person can benefit. He also suggested to bring an extra pair of chappals since it was very hot outside.
“When you speak the truth people who are used to speaking lies feel threatened and resort to such vile acts. I have gone to many states and places. People are ill-informed about what actually happened in Jawaharlal Nehru University or Jammu and Kashmir. A few so called patriots are asking people to raise the slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai. However, the Ahimsa (Non-violence) advocated by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is forgotten. The ahimsa propogated by Lord Buddha is also forgotten. Chandrashekhar Azad who was one of the freedom fighters had claimed that one can win freedom or bring about revolution on gun-point.”
JNU isse clarified
Kanhaiya went on to clarify about JNU and said that JNU does not support any anti-national activity. “Sangh which had not been unfurling the tricolour till recently were the people who have been spying for the English when they ruled India. Neither I or any of my supporters support any anti-national activity,” cleared the student leader.
He went on to clarify that he was very much present on the day that the incident occurred and how and what the slogans were raised (as reported by the university after the investigation). However, these people with ulterior motives had brought or created a doctored video and after buying out a video-news channel and with a promise to make the owner a member of the Rajya Sabha had circulated the news to the citizens. He went on to claim the whichever government is in power, JNU students have always questioned and raised the issues. They have debates and deliberations on various issues like farmers suicide, water problems in Marathwada, Latur etc. These people have always felt threatened by the students of JNU. They have called the lecturers and the proffesors too as anti-nationals.
Kanhaiya Kumar said that the Government had charged him with sedition charge (which is Raj Drohi or Anti-Government). However, these people have conveniently converted the charge to that of Anti-National and have propogated it in the media. These people make statements in public which they conveniently forget. These leaders had promised to bring black money stashed abroad and that every poor person will have Rs 15 lakh in their account. “Why did the money not reach our accounts?”
“We should shun Modi Bhakti and instead have Desh Bhakti. Modi is not the Country, RSS is not the Parliament and Manu Smruti is not the Constitution.”
He explained about the economics and how a few have all the wealth of the nation. He spoke about public sector, private sectors and capitalist ideologies which are rampantly going on in the nation.
He took a dig at the change of name of Gurgaon to Gurugram. “These people who are idealizing Guru Dronacharya seem to forgetting Eklavya who had cut off his thumb as Guru Dakshina. If they want to create Gurukuls, we will not allow it to happen. We need to have freedom and equality in education and employment.”
He further said that fortunately today is also the birth anniversary of Puran Chand Joshi. Puran Chand Joshi is one of the early leaders of the communist movement in India. He was the first general secretary of the Communist Party of India from 1935-47. It was P C Joshi who advocated all people’s movements to come together. We need to come together once again and all people’s moment should come together against these Brahminism and Bhraministic ideologies.
The JNU student leader also spoke about Babri Masjid and the demolition. He said that when he was young, he was told by his mother that “Kan Kan Mey Ram Rehta Hai” (Every particle has Ram). However these people see Ram only in Babri Masjid. Against the popular saying that Ram makes everybody, these people seem to be making Ram.
Taking a dig at Baba Ramdeo who has made Yoga and Ayurveda a very successful business, Kumar said, how within two years two crores became four crores and soon it will become 400 crores.
Kumar also spoke about his family and said that his maternal grandfather was a freedom fighter and had lost his thumb in the freedom struggle. His brother lost his life in counter-insurgency in Jammu Kashmir. He said that a man with such patriotic lineage is being called anti-national by people who do not even unfurl National Flag on their Sangh Building. He said that he does not need the certificate of patriotism from these people. They tried everything to defame JNU, since JNU started raising the issue of Vemula. Then when they raised the issue of FTTI of Pune. The present government knew that the best way to stop the issue of Vemula’s death from becoming large, they created a diversion of the citizens towards the so-called anti-national activity in JNU.
Chaos:
Earlier, chaos reigned supreme in a jam packed Dhanwate National College Hall that hosted more that around 2000 men, women and youth. Many leaders like Anil Deshmukh of NCP, Nitin Raut, Vilas Muttemwar, Vishal Muttemwar, Vikas Thakre of Congress Party and leaders of SFI, AIYL, RPI (Secular), Pragatisheel Vidhyarthi Congress, etc were prominently present.
The entire stage was full of very enthusiastic fans of Kanhaiya Kumar who refused to get down the stage. The entire hall was jam-packed in the real sense with not even a small space to move one’s limbs.
After the Professor of JNU addressed the audience, Kanhaiya Kumar set the stage on fire by his fiery speech amid shouting of slogans like “Lal Salam”, “Jai Bhim” etc. Attired in a simple cotton shirt and jeans, Kanhaiya Kumar started his speech by greeting the audience on the occasion of 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Soon after the greetings were delivered a group of around 12 youth (allegedly from Bajrang Dal) who were seated on the left side of the stage started shouting slogans like “Kanhaiya Murdabad” and “Kanhaiya Deshdrohi”, etc. The volunteers and the cops present in large numbers immediately gave a sound thrashing and practically threw the students out. Another 10 youth also from Bajrang Dal were allegedly shouting slogans standing outside the hall. The cops immediately rounded them up and took them to Dhantoli Police Station.
