‘Nation First, Tricolour March’ in many cities

ABVP activists participate in a protest rally in Bengaluru on Thursday with a 200-foot-long flag demanding the arrest of those who allegedly raised anti-India slogans at Delhi’s JNU. — PTI

Amid chanting of Vande Mataram, members of the ABVP, the student outfit of the RSS, took out marches in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata, demanding action against “anti-national” elements in Jawaharlal Nehru University in the national capital.

They organised a “Nation First Tricolour March” in Bengaluru.

Student leaders of CPI’s student wing AISF and workers of RJD’s youth wing clashed with BJP workers outside the BJP office in Patna over arrest of Kumar, who hails from Bihar.

SP (Patna) Chandan Kushwaha said a group of workers of AISF and the youth wing of Lalu Prasad’s party reached Bihar’s state BJP office to protest the arrest. As BJP workers protested, a clash broke out in which stones and water bottles were hurled from both sides.

The police used mild force to separate the rival protesters, the City SP said.

The BJP which had given notice to take out a march from its office to Income-Tax roundabout was not allowed by the police to go ahead and stopped at the party office itself.

In Chennai, the protesters were part of cultural outfit Makkal Kalai Ilakiya Kazhagam, Revolutionary Students’ Youth Front (RSYS) and five other student organisations. They were also protesting against ABVP, the student wing of RSS.

They were picked up by the police within 15 minutes of the protest. They were protesting in front of Shastri Bhavan in Nungambakkam.

Kovan, who had already been arrested and slapped with a sedition case earlier for singing a song that allegedly insulted Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, reportedly sang a song against the Central government.