Nearly five years after Kanhaiya Kumar broke the news cycle with his alleged Azaadi speech, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is in the news once again for alleged controversial slogans being raised on campus. This time it's JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) Vice-President Saket Moon who is under fire. A complaint has been filed by an advocate with the Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana regarding the matter. But there has been no confirmation about any FIR being lodged.
The issue erupted after a video of Saket addressing students during a harmony march on Monday night to commemorate the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the death anniversary of BR Ambedkar went viral. The video shows Saket talking about the Babri Masjid demolition incident and the 2019 Ayodhya verdict. The complaint filed by a Delhi High Court Advocate, Vineet Jindal, claimed that JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh and Vice-President Saket Moon "for organising an event demanding reconstruction of the Babri Masjid. The complaint specified that those involved should be booked under Section 121A (conspiracy to wage war against the government), 124A (comments expressing disapproval of the action of the government and asking for reversal), 153 (provoking a riot), 153A (promoting enmity between two groups), 298 (deliberately causing hurt to religious feelings) and 505 (public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
The complaint addressed to Delhi Commissioner Rakesh Asthana also mentions the controversy that arose on December 6 about the screening of the film Ram Ke Naam on campus. "Saket Moon, Vice-President of the JNUSU said that with the reconstruction of the Babri Masjid justice will be delivered. These statements clearly indicate the intention of the organisers that with this protest, they want to provoke and instigate people against the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya after the Supreme Court judgement," read the letter. A formal complaint with the police has not been filed yet. There's no knowledge of an FIR being filed against Saket or Aishe yet. Whether the commissioner acts on the complaint of the advocate is yet to be seen.
Saket on the other hand claimed that a part of his speech is being circulated and has been taken out of context. "A section of my speech is being circulated by RSS-BJP affiliates on social media, with the usual claims of anti-national activities. However, the complete video of the speech shall clarify matters further," he said.
But this isn't his first brush with fire with regard to this issue. About a year ago, Saket had started a public petition to the Chief Justice of India regarding the matter of "justice in the demolition of the Babri Mosque". "The letter clarifies and reflects the position I still hold and have articulated. It is clear that through inordinate delay, justice has been delayed and denied to those that suffered 29 years ago. This is also a reason that communal forces today have begun a similar campaign in Kashi and Mathura with impunity," said the DSF student leader.
The petition which is still open on change.org states that the case on the demolition of the Babri Masjid still remains open. "We appeal to the Supreme Court to ensure that justice is done without any further postponement, which should include reconstruction of the mosque at an appropriate site and full recovery of damages from the culprits of the demolition," stated the petition.
The petition quotes the Supreme Court's observation during 2019's Ayodhya Verdict – "The damage to the mosque in 1934, its desecration in 1949 leading to the ouster of the Muslims and the eventual destruction on December 6, 1992 constituted a serious violation of the rule of law," the court had said. "It is most unfortunate that while such a "serious violation of the rule of law" is yet to be remedied by the courts, the construction of a new temple at the site where the mosque once stood has commenced with a nationally televised ceremony on August 5, 2020 with the Prime Minister of the country in attendance. The President and the General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which is undertaking the temple construction, are among the 32 accused and chargesheeted in the Babri Masjid demolition case. This is totally improper for a Trust which has been formed by the Union Government following a Supreme Court verdict and may influence the trial itself," read the petition.
