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The din in Indian <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> has escalated tonight. Social media is abuzz; most television channels are debating a law enacted by the British – under Thomas Macaulay in 1870s—that allows for imprisonment for “words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the <keyword id="26362" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Government">government</keyword>". In recent years that law has been used by the police to apprehend people for <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Facebook-like-case-No-evidence-of-sedition-govt-tells-HC/articleshow/18254753.cms">liking “a Facebook post</a>, <a href="http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/sedition-charge-against-digvijay-over-remark-against-ramdev/799912/">criticising a yoga guru</a>, <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/meerut-news/sedition-charges-for-students-who-cheered-pakistan-unacceptably-harsh-omar-abdullah-553012">cheering a rival cricket team</a>, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-19540565">drawing cartoons</a>, <a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kashmir-university-lecturer-released/1/125303.html">asking a provocative question</a> in a university exam, or <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/kerala-court-denies-bail-to-youth-who-didnt-stand-up-during-national-anthem/">not standing up in a cinema when the national anthem is being played</a>,” as <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-37182206">reported</a> by the BBC in 2016. The latest use of the colonial law was the Delhi police that booked <keyword id="3048656" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kanhaiya-Kumar">Kanhaiya Kumar</keyword>, a former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (<keyword id="6356383" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="JNU">JNU</keyword>) students’ union, and some of his associates from the same institution, for raising “anti India” slogans during a gathering. The incident in question occurred three years ago when a bunch of students from JNU were staging a protest against the death penalty handed to <keyword id="43716" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Afzal-Guru">Afzal Guru</keyword>, a militant held to be a terrorist by the country’s top court after it held him guilty for a gun attack outside the Indian Parliament in 2001. The students in the spotlight today were arrested in 2015, soon after the incident, but the court let them out on bail while the investigation carried on. News reports alleged that charges against Kumar and others were based on a doctored video, a charge that the Delhi police has ruled out with its move today. The incident shot Kumar—who is aligned with a left-wing outfit-- to fame and gave him political stage to voice his views to a larger audience. He is a staunch critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The country’s polarized media has positioned itself with or against Kumar based on their ideological positions and the topic is hogging prime-time debates. The politics aside, the provision to arrest a person for <keyword id="6364658" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sedition">sedition</keyword> is a law that has criticized at the highest levels in <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> for over five decades now. When the British used the law as a tool to suppress rebellion in India, Mahatma Gandhi, who was charged with sedition, famously said the law was "designed to suppress the liberty of the citizen". In 1951, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru described the law as "highly objectionable and obnoxious". In 1962, the Supreme Court imposed limits on the use of the law, making incitement to violence a necessary condition. The law itself put to a review as late as last year but the enforcement agencies have been keen time and again to use an archaic law to put down any kind of dissent. It’s 2019 and no political party in the country has made any real difference by doing away with a law that has repeatedly been used to stifle political opposition, despicably at times.

What is sedition in India and why is it a hot topic of debate?

<keyword id="6354495" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="kashmir">Kashmir</keyword> has been a political issue for the longest and as is with such politically charged situations, there are rumors abound. However, for a lot of us, the real timeline is either unknown or has become hazy over a period of time. So, here is a complete timeline of what has happened-bare facts of how the state of Jammu&amp;Kasmir has unraveled over the last seven decades. 
 
 
 
1947 – The British rule ended in India and the nation was divided into mainly Hindu India and Muslim-majority state of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Pakistan&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Pakistan</a>. 
 1947 – The Pakistan tribal army starts attacking the <keyword id="3744025" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="kashmir-region">Kashmir region</keyword> and the Maharaja of Kashmir signs a treaty of accession with India. War breaks out between India and Pakistan over the region. 
 1948 – India raises <keyword id="64132" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kashmir-issue">Kashmir issue</keyword> in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=UN+Security+Council&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">UN Security Council</a>, which in Resolution 47 calls for a referendum on the status of the territory. It aslo calls on Pakistan to withdraw its troops and India to cut its military presence to a minimum. A ceasefire comes into force, but Pakistan refuses to evacuate its troops. Kashmir is for practical purposes partitioned. 
 1951 – Elections are held in the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir back accession to India. India feels that this makes a referendum <keyword id="6355835" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="UN">un</keyword>necessary. The UN and Pakistan say a referendum needs to take into account the views of voters throughout the former princely state. 
 
 
 1953 - Pro-Indian authorities arrest and dismiss Prime Minister <keyword id="293003" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sheikh-Abdullah">Sheikh Abdullah</keyword>, leader of the governing <keyword id="43898" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Conference">National Conference</keyword>, as he takes a pro-referendum stance and delays formal accession to India. A new Jammu and Kashmir government ratifies accession to India. 
 
1957 - The constitution of Indian-administrated Jammu and Kashmir defines it as part of India. 
 
 
 1950s - China gradually occupies eastern Kashmir (<keyword id="71796" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aksai-Chin">Aksai Chin</keyword>). 
 1962 – a war starts between India and China and China defeats India in a short war for control of <keyword id="3978218" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aksai-china">Aksai China</keyword>. 
 
1963 - Pakistan cedes the Trans-Karakoram Tract of Kashmir to China. 
 
 
 
1965 - A small war between Indian and Pakistan over Kashmir starts and ends in a ceasefire and a return to the previous positions. 
 
1971-72 - Another Indo-Pakistan war ends in defeat for Pakistan and leads to the 1972 Simla Agreement.This turns the Kashmir ceasefire line into the Line of Control, pledges both sides to settle their differences through negotiations, and calls for a final settlement of the Kashmir dispute. The Agreement forms the basis of Pakistani-Indian relations thereafter. 
 
 
 
1974 - The Opposition Plebiscite Front in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir drops demand for a referendum in return for extensive autonomy in an agreement with the Indian government. Sheikh Abdullah becomes chief minister, and his political dynasty continues to dominate the National Conference and state after his death in 1982. 
 
 
 1984 - <keyword id="6354416" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army">Indian Army</keyword> gains control over the Siachen Glacier, an area not demarcated by the Line of Control. Pakistan has been making frequent attempts to capture the area in the following decades. 
 1987 - Disputed state elections in Indian-administrated Jammu and Kashmir give a thrust to a pro-independence insurgency centred around the Jammu and <keyword id="307591" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kashmir-Liberation-Front">Kashmir Liberation Front</keyword> (<keyword id="94546" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="JKLF">JKLF</keyword>). India also accuses Pakistan of fomenting the insurgency by despatching fighters across the Line of Control, which Pakistan denies. 
 
 
 
1990 - The insurgency escalates after the Indian Army kills about 100 demonstrators at Gawakadal Bridge. Attacks and threats lead to the flight of almost all Hindus from the Kashmir Valley area of the state. India imposes Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir. 
 
1990s - The insurgency keeps on continuing, with Kashmiri militants training in Pakistan and India deploying hundreds of thousands of troops in Jammu and Kashmir. It’s the civilians that have been facing violence by both sides. 
 
1999 - India and Pakistan go to war again after militants cross from Pakistani-administered Kashmir into the Indian-administered Kargil district. India repulses the attack, accuses Pakistan of being behind it, and breaks off relations. 
 2001-2004 - Moves to boost relations between the two countries are punctuated by continuing violence, notably an attack on the parliament of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in <keyword id="41568" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Srinagar">Srinagar</keyword> in 2001. 
 
2010 - Major protests erupt in the Kashmir Valley of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir over the summer after a demonstrator is killed by the Indian army. The protests abate in September after the government announce measures to ease tension. 
 2011 August - Chief Minister <keyword id="19464" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Omar-Abdullah">Omar Abdullah</keyword> announces an amnesty for the 1,200 young men who threw stones at security forces during the anti-government protests in the Kashmir Valley in 2010. Indian <keyword id="64385" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="State-Human-Rights-Commission">State Human Rights Commission</keyword> confirms presence of more than 2,000 unidentified bodies in unmarked graves near the Line of Control. Activists say many may be people who disappeared after being arrested by security forces. 
 
 
 2013 February - <keyword id="3978220" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="kashmiri-jaish-e-mohammed">Kashmiri Jaish-e-Mohammed</keyword> member <keyword id="165584" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mohammad-Afzal-Guru">Mohammad Afzal Guru</keyword> hanged over role in 2001 Indian parliament terror attack, prompting protests in which two young men are killed. 
 
2013 September - Prime ministers of India and Pakistan meet and agree to try reduce the number of violent incidents at their disputed border in Kashmir. 
 
2014 August - India cancels talks with Pakistan after accusing it of interfering in India's internal affairs. The decision comes after Pakistan's High Commissioner in Delhi consulted Kashmiri separatist leaders in advance of the talks. 
 During a visit to the disputed border state of Jammu and Kashmir, India's Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> accuses Pakistan of waging a proxy war against India in Kashmir. 
 
2014 October - Pakistan and India exchange strongly-worded warnings, after a flare-up of violence across their common border leaves at least 18 people dead. 
 
 
 2015 March - India's ruling <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> party is sworn into government in Indian-administered Kashmir for first time in coalition with local People's <keyword id="155982" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Democratic-Party">Democratic Party</keyword>, with the latter's <keyword id="427966" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mufti-Mohammad-Sayeed">Mufti Mohammad Sayeed</keyword> as chief minister. 
 
2015 September - Muslim separatist leaders in Indian-administered Kashmir close shops, businesses and government departments in protest at the enforcement of a colonial-era ban on eating beef. 
 
2015 November - One person dies in violent protests following a visit to Indian-administered Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
 
 
 2016 April - <keyword id="6375812" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mehbooba-Mufti">Mehbooba Mufti</keyword>, the leader of the People's Democratic Party (<keyword id="42369" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PDP">PDP</keyword>), becomes the first female chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir following the death of her father and party founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. 
 
 
 2016 July - Authorities impose an indefinite curfew in most parts of Indian-administered Kashmir after the killing of popular militant by security forces of <keyword id="2931728" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Burhan-Wani">Burhan Wani</keyword>, a popular militant and top commander of the <keyword id="50913" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hizbul-Mujahideen">Hizbul Mujahideen</keyword> group, sparks violent protests. 
 
 
 
2016 August - A curfew in most parts of Indian-administered Kashmir is lifted but schools, shops and most banks remain shut and mobile and internet services remain suspended. At least 68 civilians and two security officials have died and more than 9,000 people injured in over 50 days of violence according to official tallies. 
 
2016 September - India and Pakistan exchange a war of words after 18 Indian soldiers are killed in a raid by gunmen on URI base in Indian-administered Kashmir. 
 
2016 September - India says it has carried out "surgical strikes" against suspected militants along the de-facto border with Pakistan in Kashmir but Pakistan rejects the claims. 
 
 
 
Today: the area is still living under a tension. The civilians are still scared that either the militants or the army will cause them harm. The curfew has led to the loss of lives and business. The main source of income- tourism has been at halt since August. While the nations are still fighting over the land, the leaders have forgotten the fact that there are still people living in that heaven on earth. 
 
(image: IndiaTimes)

Kashmir: The Bare Facts of a region torn into pieces

Delhi Police will not "shy away" in using its options if the five <keyword id="6356383" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="JNU">JNU</keyword> students who resurfaced in the campus fail to cooperate with the investigators, Commissioner B S Bassi today said. 
 
"There is no doubt that seditious speeches and slogans were raised in the event concerned. We also know that some involved in it, who went absconding soon after, have now returned. 
 
"At this point, there is no imminent threat to life and property, for which we are working with patience. For every job we do, our tactics are dynamic," Bassi said. 
 
He further said, "Today, we can afford to wait for them (the five students) to regain some 'sadbuddhi' (better sense) and cooperate with the police." 
 
"If we feel that they are unlikely to abide by the law, we have options available and we will not shy away from using them," the police chief added. 
 
The five JNU students, including Umar Khalid, whom the police were looking out for across cities, resurfaced in the university's campus on Sunday night but the police have not arrested them yet. 
 
In an apparent U-turn in the police's approach in the case, senior officials now say that they are waiting for the students to surrender on their own and also expect the JNU authorities to persuade them in doing so. 
 
Bassi had yesterday said that the final call will be taken by the investigating officer of the case and whether to enter the university's campus or not will be the decision of DCP (South) Prem Nath who is heading the probe. 
 Police had registered a case of <keyword id="6364658" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sedition">sedition</keyword> in connection with the event held at Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, to mark the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict <keyword id="43716" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Afzal-Guru">Afzal Guru</keyword>, in which <keyword id="679055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="anti-national">anti-national</keyword> slogans were allegedly raised. 
 On February 12, the police arrested JNU Students Union president <keyword id="3048656" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kanhaiya-Kumar">Kanhaiya Kumar</keyword> in connection with the case and started a search operation for others. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Will not shy away from using options if 5 JNU students don't co-operate: BK Bassi

The ongoing activities at JNU campus have gathered eyeballs for all the wrong reasons. For the past 14 years, I have been associated with the university, both as a student and as a faculty member, and apart from the educational achievement what I imbibed from that surrounding is the democratic ethos and the right to dissent without any fear. 
 
What went wrong? 
Dissatisfaction from the administration or the system is acceptable and one can be vocal about that in a peaceful manner but being an anti-national and attacking the soul of the country is highly unacceptable. Traditionally, JNU has been a Left inclined university with ideas and propagandas floating over the cup of tea at Ganga Dhaba. 
 
This is not the first time that the anti-national slogans (of mild intensity, of course) are in the air but this time it has gone too far. 
 
Dissatisfaction with the government or any political party can be understood but dissatisfaction with the country cannot be taken for granted. On one side, you are availing all the facilities like subsidized Indian education among others provided to you and on other side you are abusing it should not be tolerated. 
 
First of all this should not have happened in the campus and the administration should have taken care of that. This time all the sensitivity of the freedom of expression has been killed by the protesters. What still remained unanswered is whether they all were university students (especially few with the veils and face masks) or was there some crucial involvement of separatist groups from other states? Delhi Police has already started searching for the clue and raids are being done in few states. Hyderabad University, JNU and now Jadhavpur University, it seems like it’s a preplanned conspiracy of planting the propaganda of anti-nationalism among the students. 
 
In any case, first and foremost objective of any university should be providing quality higher education and everything else is secondary. At JNU, classes are not being conducted with full potential and this is hampering the growth of those students whose future lies in the quality education and not in the association with any political ideology. 
 
(Avinash Kumar is a guest lecturer, SLL &amp;CS, Jawaharlal Nehru University) 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

JNU uproar: Right to dissent or playing the propaganda

When people logged on to JNU’s central library website, a picture of Indian Tricolour with pro-national slogans greeted them. 
 
A group of people hacked JNU’s website-www.lib.jnu.ac.in- and put Lata Mangeshkar's patriotic hit ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’ playing in the background with several messages. 
 
The "Indian Hackers Online Squad" posted several slogans like "Pakistan will never get Kashmir". 
 
"So, as you said 'Kashmir ki aazadi tak jang rahegi-jang rahegi'. You are thinking that you will get Kashmir just by barking in the campus of JNU," read the messages. 
 
The messages had reference to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's previous speeches. 
 
"As I also told Bilawal Bhutto that without any violence let me tell you that Pakistan will never get Kashmir. This is the truth. You have to accept it :) So anti-national elements at JNU should also accept that Pakistan will never get Kashmir," the message stated. 
 
 
 
Moreover, the hacked page also carried a photo of actor Sunny Deol with a caption promising to eliminate "all Afzals", in response to an alleged slogan-‘Kitne Afzal maaroge har ghar se Afzal niklega (How many Afzals will you kill, one will emerge from every house)’. 
 
The varsity's library authorities, said, "the hacking of the website was noticed after office hours. The matter has been reported to the university's IT department and measures are being taken to rectify it". 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

‘You are thinking that you will get Kashmir just by barking in the campus of JNU’, hackers post slogan on JNU’s website as row deepens

Three years back, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=afzal+guru">Afzal Guru</a> was hanged by the <keyword id="44734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword> following his conviction in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=parliament+attack">Parliament attack</a> case and while there was a section of the country who felt that injustice has been meted out, it’s almost impossible to imagine the loss his family must have gone through. 
 
A year after Guru was hanged, his wife Tabasum Guru had said in an interview that all she wanted was for her kids to live a normal and peaceful life. 
 And, looks like her son; <keyword id="3202418" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ghalib-Guru">Ghalib Guru</keyword> is on the path of ensuring just that. 
 
Ghalib Guru became the talking point in social media when news of him scoring an impressive 95% in the 10th standard examinations conducted by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=jammu+and+kashmir">Jammu and Kashmir</a> Board of School Examination started doing the rounds 
 
According to the results which were declared on Sunday, Ghalib scored 474 marks out of a total of 500 and secured ‘A1’ grade in all five subjects. 
People on social media were united in lauding the boy for excelling despite hardships. 
 In 2013, Ghalib, who loves playing cricket and reading science books had revealed in an interview to a Kashmiri news outlet that he wanted to be a doctor and his father <keyword id="43716" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Afzal-Guru">Afzal Guru</keyword> would encourage him to work hard and achieve that dream. 
 
“When I visited him in August, papa gifted me a copy of the Koran and a book on science, which I have preserved,” he had added. 
 
Image credit: AFP

Afzal Guru’s son Ghalib scores 95% in his Class
X boards and sets an example of how to excel despite great adversities

When <keyword id="16945" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Taliban">Taliban</keyword> attacked the <keyword id="275394" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Afghan-parliament">Afghan Parliament</keyword> on Monday to turn down lawmakers’ attempt to find a new <keyword id="194123" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="defense-minister">defense minister</keyword> for the country, the whole world looked on in horror. The way Talibanese planned and executed this attack, they send out a clear message to the <keyword id="236314" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Afghanistan-government">Afghanistan government</keyword> that they are against democracy. This attack took us back to December 13, 2001, when <keyword id="145182" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-Parliament">Indian Parliament</keyword> was attacked by a bunch of militants. But, if you think India and Afghanistan are the only countries to have faced such an attack, you should check out this list: 
 
(Image: Reuters)

5 Parliament attacks across the globe that shook everyone

Everyone at court was waiting in bated breath for <keyword id="38062" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ram-Jethmalani">Ram Jethmalani</keyword> to speak, as he appeared as the counsel of one of the country’s most controversial cases between RIL and RNRL at Bombay High Court in 2009. Jethmalani was ominously quiet as he heard his opponent and famous advocate Harish Salve speak for hours at a stretch. When the court was adjourned, Jethmalani stood up and requested the bench to stall for a few minutes as he had something to say. Every reported had a pen tight on the notepad and ears peeled, but Jethmalani said, “Once in a village there was a man who spoke so much that everyone was too tired of listening to him.” Salve was amused, and the bench cracked up. Today, one of India’s most famous voices fell silent as he passed away at the age of 96 following a prolonged illness. His funeral will be held in Delhi on Sunday. A clan of warriors It was not just his candour that Jethmalani was known for, but also his courage. He was one of the few who represented clients who went against the government. Probably, it was something he inherited from his ancestors. They had fought for his homeland Sindh alongside British general Charles Napier, who eventually won the war but also admitted ‘to a noble form of rascality’. Jethmalani became those industrious few refugees who thrived in a new India. He was all of 17 when he earned his law degree, thanks to the many ‘triple promotions’ he received at school. Famous clients and infamous cases In the first few years Jethmalani earned the dubious reputation of being a ‘smuggler’s advocate’ after he represented mafia leader Haji Mastan in a case. He was only the first of the many underdogs that Jethmalani both successfully and unsuccessfully, represented. He picked cases that no one else would and select clients that no one would dare to — including stock market scamster Harshad Mehta, the man who killed former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, V Sriharan, and Afzal Guru who was convicted for an attack on the parliament. But, Jethmalani wasn’t always on the right side of things in the governments and public opinion. He defended religious guru Asaram Bapu in a rape case against a minor. He was also the lawyer of Manu Sharma who was accused of shooting Jesssica Lal — a case which turned into a public outrage. Yet, Jethmalani was unfazed through it all — even when public criticized him and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled him in 2013. By the time he retired in 2017, he probably had as many detractors as fans and clients combined in an illustrious career. And he did not go out quietly. Jethmalani who<a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ram-jethmalani-arvind-kejriwal-arun-jaitley-defamation-case-1026286-2017-07-26"> represented Delhi chief</a> minister Arvind Kejriwal a ₹2 crore bill, chose to fight his own arch nemesis Arun Jaitley right before his departure from law.

Maverick untamed Ram Jethmalani passes away at 96

The protests and counter protests at the Jawaharlal Nehru University are refusing to die out. What started as an event to mark the death anniversary of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, by alleged students of the University, at the campus has snowballed into a gigantic political controversy, resulting in detentions under sedition charges, assault on journalists amongst other things etc. 
 
Here is the timeline of what happened at the JNU campus: 
 
- Alleged students of the JNU had organised an event to protest against judicial hanging of Afzal Guru in 2013 and also to express solidarity with Kashmiri migrants. 
 
- Posters were put up at the Sabarmati dhaba of JNU campus about the same. Also, a programme-‘A country without a post office — against the judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt’-was supposed to take off. 
 
- This didn’t go down well with ABVP members, who protested against the event, demanding expulsion of the organisers. 
 
- A disciplinary enquiry was taken up by the university administration. The administration claimed the organisers went ahead with the event without permission. 
 
- A protest march was also carried out and ABVP members accused JNU students of shouting anti-India slogans. A video also appeared in which students were heard shouting slogans like ‘Kashmir ki azadi se, bharat ki barbadi tak, jangh rahegi jari’. 
 
- Now, ABVP members and JNU students are at loggerheads. In the face-off, JNU students say they did not shout any anti-national slogans. 
 
- A sedition case against unknown students was registered at Vasant Kunj (North) police station and the university also barred eight students from academic activity pending an enquiry. 
 
- JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on sedition charges and ordered to three-day police custody. 
 
- Students of JNU gave a shutdown call and #JNUShutdown started trending everywhere, demanding Kumar’s release. JNU teachers also joined the students in boycotting classes. 
 
- On February 14, the Patiala House saw violence as a mob, wearing lawyer’s robe, slapped and kicked supporters of Kanhaiya Kumar. Journalists and students bore the brunt of the violence. 
 - Over 400 journalists had taken out a procession after mediapersons were attacked by lawyers at the <keyword id="286287" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Patiala-court">Patiala Court</keyword>. The Supreme Court had slammed unruly behaviour of the lawyers and ordered that both the clients and media persons should be given security in the premises of the courts. 
 
 
 
- On February 17 also, violence was witnessed outside Patiala House Court when two groups of lawyers clashed with each other. Pro-India slogans were raised by lawyers who called themselves 'deshbhakts' and referred to those stopping them as 'deshdrohi'. 
 
- The group of lawyers that attacked journalists said that they cannot be termed 'goons'. Lawyers were heard chanting ‘Vande Mataram’. The Supreme Court was also informed that Kanhaiya Kumar was attacked in the court premises. 
 
- Some reports of stone-pelting at the Patiala House court also surfaced. 
 
- SC restricted the number reporters to five and two supporters of arrested students for the hearing. 
 
- Kanhaiya Kumar has been sent to judicial custody till March 02. Before his hearing, journalists were yet again attacked in the scuffle between two lawyer groups. 
 
- Doctor has been called to provide medical aid to Kanhaiya. 
 
- Kumar has maintained that he did not shout any anti-national slogans and few outsiders were involved in raising anti-India slogans. 
 
(Images: Indiatimes)

Everything you need to know about the JNU unrest

The five <keyword id="6356383" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="JNU">JNU</keyword> students who were accused of <keyword id="6364658" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sedition">sedition</keyword> and were missing for days are back on the campus but haven’t been arrested yet. While the students say they are ready for the arrest, the police, who have not been allowed to enter the campus, are of the opinion that the students must surrender. 
 
"They should join the probe. If they say they are innocent, they should present evidence of their innocence," said Police Chief BS Bassi making it clear that the onus in on the students to prove their innocence. 
 The students - <keyword id="3251888" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Umar-Khalid">Umar Khalid</keyword>, Anirban, Ashutosh, Rama Naga and Ananth Prakash - have been accused of organizing an event at JNU or the Jawaharlal Nehru University on February 9 to mark the anniversary of the execution of terrorist Afzal Guru, during which anti-India slogans were raised. 
	 Two days after the incident, <keyword id="3048656" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kanhaiya-Kumar">Kanhaiya Kumar</keyword>, the JNU students' union president, was arrested on sedition charges, for allegedly making <keyword id="679055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="anti-national">anti-national</keyword> statements. At present, he is in Delhi's Tihar jail. 
	 
	"We went underground because we feared for our lives," one of the students told <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/cheat-sheet/jnu-students-must-prove-their-innocence-says-police-chief-bassi-1279975?pfrom=home-lateststories">NDTV</a>, while denying that they did anything wrong. 
	 
	As they surfaced on the campus last night, they were joined by scores of students and teachers in a dramatic all-night sit-in as the police waited outside the gates. 
	 
	"For the first time in seven years, in the last 10 days, I was made to feel like a Muslim. I was reduced to my identity and it is shameful... These people are telling us about patriotism... They may have majority but they are scared of us... they are scared of our struggle, they are afraid of us because we think...,"Umar Khalid said to cheers from supporters. 
	 
	Image credit: Indiatimes

According to Delhi Police Chief, BS Bassi, JNU students must prove their innocence

Even after a high turnout that was witnessed for the first time in last 28 years, <keyword id="17605" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jammu-and-kashmir">Jammu and Kashmir</keyword> failed to get a government. Eighteen days after the results to tumultuous assembly elections were declared, political parties could not cobble up together to stake a claim. This results in the state slipping into Governor’s rule and N N Vohra taking over the reins of the administration. 
 
The Governor’s rule has disappointed people at large as they were expecting a government in place. Since Omar Abdullah, who headed the NC-Congress coalition for six years declined to continue as care taker chief minister which he could have till January 18 when the term of the Assembly would end, there was no alternative but to fill the vacuum with a spell of Governor’s rule. 
 
Not only the people had voted for a change, that was reflected in results and looked forward for better governance, but people particularly in Kashmir had pinned hopes for a speedy rehabilitation process for flood victims. Kashmir had seen severe floods in September, affecting nearly a million people. A proper government was need of the hour to address their requirements. 
 However, the fractured mandate that these elections threw up temporarily blocked the road to formation of a government. Not only were the seats divided among many parties but the clear division on the communal lines also played a significant role in this delay. As Jammu preferred <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword>, this marked the beginning of the end of a fragile unity of a state that is diverse in nature. In contrast, Kashmiris have voted for all from <keyword id="42369" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="PDP">PDP</keyword> to NC and Congress. Regional aspirations must have played a role in Kashmir but not the religion. Even as people were outraged on the hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during Congress-led UPA, the Sopore constituency where from he hailed ironically returned a Congress candidate to the Assembly. 
 Out of 87-member house, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as the single largest party with 28 followed by BJP with 25, <keyword id="43898" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Conference">National Conference</keyword> 15, Congress 12 and others seven. Both NC and Congress extended support to PDP to form the government to keep BJP away and this could be possible with the support of few independents. Reports suggested that both BJP and NC had a “failed” round of negotiations in Delhi two days after the results were declared. But both parties denied the same. 
 
For PDP, the situation turned piquant. On the one hand they maintained that they couldn’t trust NC and going with Congress, according to a PDP insider was “against the mandate of people”, but on other they had to walk on a razor’s edge to deal with BJP. 
 
Both PDP and BJP are ideologically poles apart. BJP’s integrationist agenda for Kashmir is diametrically opposite to PDP’s Self Rule. Still they had opened up back channel communication and even exchanged papers for stitching up an alliance. PDP’s patron and old hoarse of Kashmir politics Mufti Mohammad Sayeed weighed more on having BJP alliance and to give time to mature it was not his worry. By exploring this option he wants to carry along the Jammu region, which has overwhelmingly voted for BJP. “There would be a vacuum if we would go with NC or PDP as there would be zero participation in the government from Jammu as no elected member could join cabinet from the Hindu dominated belt” a senior PDP leader explained. So the motive was to seek more time to find a middle road. 
 
But Omar Abdullah’s decision to call it a day halfway prompted the Governor to recommend his rule. The talks between PDP and BJP have not been called off and BJP has not refused to discuss three crucial points of Mufti’s agenda viz resumption of dialogue with Pakistan and separatists, keeping Article 370 off the table, strengthening cross LOC CMB’s and withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from certain areas. Sources say that structured dialogue may begin next week. 
 
However, the fact is that the state is in a chaotic situation where the administration has to be manned by a few bureaucrats. The successful elections, which always are a challenge in Jammu and Kashmir, had rekindled the hope for a stable government but it worsened those prospects and a commoner in Kashmir is fuming that why political parties could not put their inherent acrimony behind and move forward to give them a government they deserved. With Governor’s rule in place, only worry now is that Delhi is not repeated in Jammu and Kashmir. No one wants a re-election in the state. 
About the author: The writer is a senior journalist and Editor of Rising Kashmir, Srinagar. 
Disclaimer: This is the author's own opinion.

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