JNU row: Kanhaiya Kumar's arrest conspiratorial, says JD(U)

Patna/Begusarai, Feb 17: Days after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came out in support of arrested JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, a senior party leader today visited his home in Begusarai district and said "conspiratorial arrest" of Kanhaiya will prove to be the "undoing" of the BJP government at the Centre.

JD(U) spokesman and member of Legislative Council Neeraj Kumar paid a visit to Kanhaiya's home at Madhusudanpur (Bihat) and expressed solidarity with his family. Later addressing a public meeting in the village, Kumar spoke in favour of the JNUSU president and demanded his immediate release.

"The unfolding of events indicate that Kanhaiya Kumar's intention was to establish peace in the prestigious university and not any anti-national activity," Neeraj Kumar said.

"About 120 hours have passed since the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, but no evidence against him has been made public," he said.

"The Centre should either present evidence against the JNUSU president or withdraw allegation of sedition against him," the Bihar JD(U) spokesman said.

He said Kanhaiya Kumar hails from a family of freedom fighters including famous CPI leader Chandrasekhar Singh and Ramcharitra Singh.

In a scathing attack on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, the JD(U) leader said " the conspiratorial arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar will prove to be the undoing of the BJP government."

The JD(U) leader's comments came after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had defended Kanhaiya, saying he had met him and that he couldn't be an "anti-national."

The chief minister had on Monday said it was "a design" to impose the ideology of ABVP on the nation and had claimed it was "like imposing Emergency" in the country.

Senior RJD leader and state minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui also came out in support of the JNUSU president.

"Kanhaiya Kumar's arrest is part of a conspiracy hatched by RSS, BJP and ABVP," Siddiqui alleged.

Meanwhile, Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey today said party youth workers would hold agitation across the state from February 18-21 against Kanhaiya's "anti-national" assertions and rivals rushing to his defence.

PTI