New Delhi, 17th February, 2016

"The Commission has come across a news report captioned "Govt. acts tough, JNU student leader charged with sedition" published in "The Hindu" on 13.02.2016. It is reported that the President of the Jawahar Lal Nehru University Students Union was arrested on the charge of Sedition after allegedly raising anti-India slogans. However, the President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union, kanhaiya Kumar, has denied the allegations stating that he went to the spot only to intervene in a clash between two groups. It is also alleged that police is mindlessly patrolling the campus and students are being witch-hunted and demonized for doing nothing.

The Incident has also received widespread coverage both in print and electronic media. It is widely alleged that the action of the police was illegal and high-handed and was an attempt t suppress freedom of speech and expression in academic institutions. It is also alleged that the charge of sedition was falsely added to intimidate falsely added to intimate those who dissent.

Issue notice to the Secretary Home, Government of India; Chief Secretary, Govt. of NCT of Delhi; Commissioner of Police, Delhi and Registrar, Jawaharlal Nehru University calling for a report in the matter within two week''.



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