AAP govt buckled under pressure: CPI on Kanhaiya’s prosecution

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 29

The Delhi government’s permission to prosecute former Jawaharlal Nehru Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar threatens to rupture the bonhomie between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Left, with the spin-off casting a shadow on the bid to unite Opposition parties against the BJP in national politics.

Expressing indignation at the AAP government’s move, the CPI on Saturday said it had “succumbed” to the political pressure of the BJP, but declared it would fight the charges against Kanhaiya legally and politically.

Kanhaiya is a member of CPI’s national executive and has emerged as the poster boy of the Left.

The Delhi government had on Friday given sanction for his prosecution. “The party feels it is unfortunate that the AAP government has succumbed to the political pressure and granted permission to prosecute Kanhaiya,” the CPI national secretariat stated.

“It may be recalled here that the Chief Minister himself had in the beginning said there was no case of sedition against Kanhaiya and that the videos were doctored.”

“We are yet to ascertain why this sudden change of heart has happened,” the party said. “The Delhi government’s standing counsel has not given sanction for the prosecution. The party advocate will soon secure a copy of the standing council’s recommendations and release it to the media to prove our claim,” said the party.

The sanction for Kanhaiya’s prosecution could cast a shadow on the Opposition unity because the Left parties act as block and work for their unity and also for those against the BJP.

The Left has always supported AAP in its face-off with the BJP dispensation. It still has a soft corner for it even though the party supported Bill in Parliament to revoke Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in two union territories.

AAP, BJP two sides of same coin: Cong

• The Congress on Saturday said the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP were ideological bedfellows
• Party leader Anand Sharma said the AAP government’s move had proved that Arvind Kejriwal’s mindset was the same as that of the BJP
• He said AAP has acted selectively on cases which questions its mentality”
• The senior leader said it was clear that the BJP and AAP were two sides of the same coin
• “They think similarly. AAP may not have the police under it, but it has the administration”
• “The party has now granted permission for prosecution. This raises questions on its philosophy”