NEW DELHI -- The Supreme Court has ordered the Delhi police to ensure the safety of litigants and media at Patiala House court during JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar's hearing today.
Only four to five journalists and Kumar's lawyer can attend the Kumar's hearing, said the Supreme Court.
The apex court today heard an urgent plea seeking action against those involved in assaulting journalists and JNU students and teachers in the Patiala House court complex where Kumar, arrested on charges of sedition, was to be produced.
The petition filed by ND Jaiprakash, an alumnus of JNU, who was hurt in the violence, sought action against the people involved in the violence and over "inaction" on the part of Delhi Police. Men dressed as lawyers and chanting patriotic slogans thrashed many members of the media present at the courthouse on Monday, accusing them of being "anti-nationals".
The petition also sought a direction to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police to take preventive measures so that no violence takes place either inside the court room or within the court complex and the safety of journalists and lawyers ensured, reported the Indian Express.
BJP MLA OP Sharma was also seen in media footage assaulting Communist Party of India (CPI) minority wing leader Ameeq Jamei.
In a new twist to the ongoing state-vs-students war at JNU, inputs from security agencies seemed to have suggested that Kumar may not have raised anti-national slogans or made an inflammatory speech at the JNU event. Home Ministry officials have suggested that slapping of the serious charge of sedition against Kumar could be an act of "over enthusiasm" on the part of some Delhi Police officers.
Meanwhile, in an interview to CNN-IBN, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, sought to play down the violence at the court house.
"But there was a murder? I don't know. But I'm sure that police will take action. I have not gone into detail of that particular incident. What I'm saying there may be physical fight, it will not amount to sedition," he told the channel.
The Delhi Police had apparently alerted JNU authorities about the 9 February event to protest the hanging of Parliament attack terrorist Afzal Guru and its "possible repercussions".
The report also mentioned that 18 students, including Kumar, were "present" at the event which included a march from Sabarmati dhaba to Ganga dhaba around 7.30 PM and, in an hour, the crowd had dispersed "peacefully". The police, in its report, had said they got to know about the event on the morning of 9 February when they came across the posters inside the campus, following which "JNU authorities were alerted about the programme and its possible repercussions," sources told PTI.
According to report, some students were alleged to have indulged in "unwanted activity" in the garb of a cultural evening. They shouted anti-India slogans and also those in support of freedom of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The authorities, even the office of the V-C, had no idea that the programme had nothing to do with cultural activities. They were timely alerted and the permission was denied," they said.
In another report filed on 12 February, the police said as many as 16 JNU students, including a former JNUSU president, were under the scanner after they received specific inputs.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Only four to five journalists and Kumar's lawyer can attend the Kumar's hearing, said the Supreme Court.
The apex court today heard an urgent plea seeking action against those involved in assaulting journalists and JNU students and teachers in the Patiala House court complex where Kumar, arrested on charges of sedition, was to be produced.
The petition filed by ND Jaiprakash, an alumnus of JNU, who was hurt in the violence, sought action against the people involved in the violence and over "inaction" on the part of Delhi Police. Men dressed as lawyers and chanting patriotic slogans thrashed many members of the media present at the courthouse on Monday, accusing them of being "anti-nationals".
The petition also sought a direction to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police to take preventive measures so that no violence takes place either inside the court room or within the court complex and the safety of journalists and lawyers ensured, reported the Indian Express.
BJP MLA OP Sharma was also seen in media footage assaulting Communist Party of India (CPI) minority wing leader Ameeq Jamei.
In a new twist to the ongoing state-vs-students war at JNU, inputs from security agencies seemed to have suggested that Kumar may not have raised anti-national slogans or made an inflammatory speech at the JNU event. Home Ministry officials have suggested that slapping of the serious charge of sedition against Kumar could be an act of "over enthusiasm" on the part of some Delhi Police officers.
Meanwhile, in an interview to CNN-IBN, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, sought to play down the violence at the court house.
"But there was a murder? I don't know. But I'm sure that police will take action. I have not gone into detail of that particular incident. What I'm saying there may be physical fight, it will not amount to sedition," he told the channel.
The Delhi Police had apparently alerted JNU authorities about the 9 February event to protest the hanging of Parliament attack terrorist Afzal Guru and its "possible repercussions".
The report also mentioned that 18 students, including Kumar, were "present" at the event which included a march from Sabarmati dhaba to Ganga dhaba around 7.30 PM and, in an hour, the crowd had dispersed "peacefully". The police, in its report, had said they got to know about the event on the morning of 9 February when they came across the posters inside the campus, following which "JNU authorities were alerted about the programme and its possible repercussions," sources told PTI.
According to report, some students were alleged to have indulged in "unwanted activity" in the garb of a cultural evening. They shouted anti-India slogans and also those in support of freedom of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The authorities, even the office of the V-C, had no idea that the programme had nothing to do with cultural activities. They were timely alerted and the permission was denied," they said.
In another report filed on 12 February, the police said as many as 16 JNU students, including a former JNUSU president, were under the scanner after they received specific inputs.
(With inputs from PTI)
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