Displaying his masterly oratory skills, JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar impressed a massive crowd awaiting his return to the campus.
He made his presence felt with a resounding, almost unanimous, verdict that a spellbound crowd at the administration block of the university had reserved for his speech.
Kanhaiya’s roaring speech, most said, was an offset for the pain and anguish they had undergone since his arrest, the wait getting agonisingly longer when it took another day after being granted bail.
As soon as the JNUSU president took over the microphone, a deafening cheer pervaded the gathering.
This mood prevailed through the course of his hour long speech.
The audience comprising both students and teachers had congregated after marching through the wide roads and alleys of the campus, which has dominated headlines for the past month.
Speaking to a massive gathering, Kumar kept firing one salvo after another, his arsenal heavily loaded with puns and witty comments.
The response of Abhishek, a research scholar, captured the prevalent mood of the gathering. “It’s beyond politics now. What he said captures the mood of the campus. This is not about politics, this is not an issue of left versus right. This is about saving JNU and we all stand by him,” said the International Relations student.
Abhishek’s response was echoed by the individuals The Hindu spoke to and collectively reflected in chorus when his references floored them.
Earlier Kanhaiya’s supporters took out a victory march from Ganga Dhaba to the admin block. The stretch, less than a kilometre long, was thronged by students on their way to the congregation spot where Kanhaiya was expected to speak.
#KanhaiyaKumar became the top trending topic on microblogging site Twitter following the speech.
Kanhaiya and the students, who gathered in hundreds, also repeatedly raised the ‘aazadi’ slogan, seeking freedom from casteism, patriarchy and injustice, among others.
Addressing the crowd, Rama Naga said that they will fight against sedition law and that they are confident of a win. He, however, cautioned that the students should not say anything that can be misinterpreted and questioned by rivals.
