Fact Check: Did Manmohan Singh Ask For Students to be Forgiven Despite Facing Black Flag Protests During 2005 JNU Visit? Here's The Truth About Umar Khalid's Tweet
On reading past reports and verifying Umar Khalid's claims, it comes to light that Khalid's version of the incident is true. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did face protest by students when he visited JNU back in 2005.
New Delhi, January 9: Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid shared a tweet on Thursday and claimed that former PM Manmohan Singh had faced protests by students at JNU. Umar Khalid also mentioned in his tweet that the former prime minister was also shown black flags when he visited the varsity in 2005. The former student leader then went on to claim that hours after protest, the PMO had intervened and asked university administration to not be too harsh with the students. However, few Twitter users questioned the claim. So, are Umar Khalid's claims that Manmohan Singh faced protests, was shown black flags but asked administration to be lenient true and what really happened then? Mumbai Police Files Two FIRs Against Umar Khalid for Gateway of India Protest in Mumbai.
On reading past reports and verifying Umar Khalid's claims, it comes to light that Khalid's version of the incident is true. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did face protest by students when he visited JNU back in 2005. And as mentioned by the former student leader, Manmohan Singh in his speech did quote Voltaire, where he defended the right to speech, according to Telegraph report. Tajinder Bagga Tweets Video With Fake Claim Of Umar Khalid Raising 'Hinduo Se Azadi' Slogan at Mumbai's Gateway of India After JNU Violence; Here's a Fact Check and The Original Video.
Read Umar Khalid's Tweet Below
The Telegraph report mentions how the then JNU VC, BB Bhattacharya, was personally requested by Manmohan Singh to be "lenient" with the protesting students. The VC was quoted saying by the English daily that the difference between then and now is the "broken" communication line between the students and government.
Then JNUSU president Dhananjay Tripathi was also quoted in the report saying that the "The regime was definitely not as vengeful as it is today." Interestingly, former JNU student Sandeep Singh, who was also part of the protest in which black flags were shown to Dr Manmohan Singh, joined Congress and was appointed Rahul Gandhi's speechwriter, reported India Today.
Fact check
Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid shared a tweet on Thursday and claimed that former PM Manmohan Singh had faced protests by students at JNU. Umar Khalid also mentioned in his tweet that the former prime minister was also shown black flags when he visited the varsity in 2005, but asked students to be forgiven.
The claim is true. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did face protest by students when he visited JNU back in 2005. And as mentioned by the former student leader, Manmohan Singh in his speech quoted Voltaire, where he defended the right to speech.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 09, 2020 04:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).