New Delhi

Joining the ongoing JNU row, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju today said the premier academic institute cannot be allowed to be a hub of anti-national activities.

“We can’t allow JNU to be a hub of anti-national activities,” he told reporters here, a day after arrest of JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar on the charges of sedition.

The Minister of State for Home said freedom of expression cannot be absolute and unqualified and reasonable restriction has to be there.

“This was an unfortunate incident. But these are not small kids who don’t know what they do. In the name of freedom of speech you can’t abuse the nation,” he said.

Rijiju said the Delhi Police action came as per available inputs and no one should politicise the issue of national interests, country’s unity and integrity.

He also alleged that JNU students were encouraged by some political parties.

The JNU students union president was arrested in connection with an event organised on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. There were allegations that anti-India slogans were raised during the event.

Kanhaiya is member of CPI’s student wing All India Student Federation (AISF).

A delegation of Left and JD(U) leaders today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh demanding release of Kanhaiya.

Later speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Rijiju said if an anti-national act is noticed in any country like say in America, Britain or France, there is no debate and action is taken.

“Anti-India slogans were shouted in JNU and to have a debate on this, would be a shameful thing. There are some people in our country who do politics even over this,” he said.

The Minister said whether it is JNU or any other place, if someone shouts slogans against the country, there is no scope for debate and legal process should be followed.

When asked if such action would hamper free speech on the campus, he said freedom of expression cannot be used against the interests of the country and it is not unqualified or absolute.

PTI