Delhi Police Takes Action After Controversial Slogans at JNU Protest

FIR Filed Over Alleged Sloganeering at JNU

New Delhi: An FIR has been filed by the Delhi Police regarding alleged slogans directed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a protest at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). This action follows a complaint lodged by the university's administration, as confirmed by an official on Wednesday.

The FIR cites sections 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 353(1) (statements leading to public mischief), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). This case pertains to slogans reportedly shouted during a student gathering at the Sabarmati Dhaba on the JNU campus on Monday evening.

The complaint was filed by JNU's chief security officer at the Vasant Kunj North police station on Tuesday, leading to the registration of the case. The university administration described the slogans as "highly objectionable, provocative, and inflammatory," prompting them to seek legal action.

The event was originally intended to commemorate the anniversary of the violence that erupted on the JNU campus on January 5, 2020. However, the nature of the gathering allegedly shifted after the Supreme Court denied bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.

The university has claimed that some of the slogans constituted contempt of court and breached the JNU Code of Conduct, resulting in both a police complaint and an internal investigation.

In contrast, student leaders have asserted that the slogans were ideological and part of an annual protest, denying any intention to target specific individuals.