Kanhaiya Kumar: The Trial Will Expose The BJP

The Delhi police have finally filed a charge-sheet, after three long years, naming former JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar in the sedition case of 2016.

- Barkha Dutt

The charge-sheet says he was “seen leading the students, who were raising anti-India slogans”. Kanhaiya dismisses this saying the case is politically motivated, and the charge-sheet is timed to match the election season. “If they really were so nationalist, why have they dragged their feet on this case for so long?” he asks. “Now, 90 days before elections, they are trying to act against us.” Edited excerpts:

You have been charge-sheeted for sedition three years after you were accused of raising anti-India slogans on the JNU campus—something you have denied.

For three years now there has been a media trial running against us. We have always said that the charges are false. Anchors of certain television channels, who give out certificates of nationalism, have run a malicious campaign against us. The BJP calls itself the biggest nationalists. If they really were so nationalist, why have they dragged their feet on this case for so long? What were they doing all these months? Now, 90 days before elections, they are trying to act against us. I thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi because, firstly, we are now liberated from a media trial; we will get a proper judicial trial. And, secondly, the trial will expose them. So, thank you.

So, you are saying that while the BJP says nationalism is what sets it apart, they have shown no seriousness to act on the case all these years?