Pleas in HC over Kanhaiya’s speech

The speech by JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar subsequent to his release on bail was the bone of contention in two pleas before the Delhi High Court seeking action against him as well as cancellation of the six-month interim relief granted to him.

While the high court refused to entertain the petition seeking action against the student leader for allegedly making anti-national remarks in his speech, the other plea seeking cancellation of his bail will be heard on Wednesday.

The second plea is listed for hearing tomorrow before Justice Pratibha Rani, who declined to hear the first petition seeking action against Kanhaiya, facing sedition charge in connection with an event at JNU on February 9 where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised and Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru hailed as a ‘martyr’.

The court dismissed the plea by a social activist, saying there is law and order in place for handling instances where anti-national slogans are being raised and the petitioner need not worry about the image of the nation. It also questioned the locus standi of petitioner for filing the petition seeking direction for action against Kanhaiya for committing sedition and to refer the matter for further probe by the Intelligence Bureau “in the interest of justice”.