Splinter Groups Target JNU’s Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Now

With one arrested in threatening posters case, another appeared in Delhi sending relentless death threats to JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, pointing at a move to keep the emerging leader under constant pressure not to seek out any political career.

This time the poster not only threatened Kanhaiya Kumar but also Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who are facing charge of sedition. Earlier poster by a self-proclaimed Poorvanchal Sena had announced Rs 11 lakh on Kumar but he was arrested and jailed.

The new poster that appeared at Jantar Mantar said, “Shooting the traitors is a national duty. I shall shoot Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and Kanhaiya.” It bore the name of one Balbir Singh Bharatiya who claimed to have been a part of the Anna Hazare-led movement against corruption. The poster also contained a phone number and his photograph, posing a challenge to Delhi Police to chase him now.

The poster also threatened Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for extending support to the JNU students. It said, “I shall shoot all who celebrated the anniversary of Afzal Guru’s hanging.”

Delhi’s deputy commissioner of police Jatin Narwal acknowledged the poster’s appearance and said, “We have initiated an inquiry into the matter.” He said when policemen called the number a shop owner at Yamuna Bazar picket up the call but did not commit to have pasted the poster. He had admitted that he visited Jantar Mantar on Friday and that he will be questioned soon.

So, the question is threatening JNU student leaders some way or the other has become a national hobby now and it is increasingly taking an ugly turn of conservative rightists versus leftist forces and unless caution is shown by the authorities, it may spread like a contagious fire in the country, posing a bigger challenge to the nation than seen in the borders.