Stones pelted, slipper hurled at Kanhaiya Kumar in Nagpur

Nagpur: Suspected right-wing Bajrang Dal activists pelted stones and hurled a slipper at Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union president Kanhaiya Kumar here on Thursday but he escaped unhurt. Police have detained 10 men in connection with the attack. Kanhaiya Kumar, who was arrested on charges of sedition before being released on bail, had arrived here to address a function marking the 125th anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar whom he considers his idol, at the invite of Progressive Students Youth Action Committee. Despite the X-level of security accorded to the student leader, Bajrang Dal activists were present to protest right outside the Nagpur airport when he arrived and even when he went to the historic Deekshabhoomi to pay homage to Ambedkar. When his car approached the venue of the public function, suspected Bajrang Dal activists pelted stones at it as security officials guided it to safety. Kanhaiya Kumar was unhurt. The function itself was disrupted by loud slogan-shouting of "Kanhaiya Kumar Murdabad", "Kanhaiya Triator, Go Away", forcing police to bundle the protestors outside the auditorium. Later, when he was addressing the meeting and making strong criticism of the BJP and RSS, an unidentified person hurled a shoe at Kumar, barely missing his target. Police have detained at least 10 Bajrang Dal activists who had warned they would disrupt Kanhaiya Kumar's meeting, being held in the city which houses the headquarters of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and is home town of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.