Student charged with circulating poster to slap case on JNU

 A JNU student, who was issued a showcause notice for circulating a religiously "offensive" poster on the campus, is planning to slap a legal case on the varsity, even as he was given three more days to reply to the notice. Jitendra Yadav, a Phd student of Center of Indian Languages and president of All India Backward Students Forum (AIBSF), said today that the poster in contention did not bear his signatures and he could not be held responsible for circulating them. The notice had said that Yadav had been found guilty of releasing an "offensive" poster depicting a deity "in a derogatory manner" that led to violent incidents. Members of the AIBSF and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had clashed earlier this month over posters that were found "hurtful" by a section of students. The posters were circulated by students of the AIBSF, based on an article in the Forward Press magazine about the 'Dalit viewpoint on Durga-Mahishasura'. "I am seeking legal advice on the issue and I plan to file a case against the University, especially against the Proctor, who has issued notice to me. It was the organisation that had circulated the poster and they cannot single me out," he said. Yadav, who was given time till today to reply to the notice, meanwhile, asked for more time from the administration, which granted it three more days. The AIBF and United Dalit Students Forum (UDSF) condemned the showcause notice issued to Yadav and threatened to launch a protest if the University punishes him. The groups said in a statement that the University was acting with "an intention of revenge" against them and demanded that a fresh inquiry be conducted into the incident with representatives of all student bodies like AISA, SFI, SFR and NSUI included in the panel. The Forward Press magazine meanwhile defended its article 'Kiski Puja Kar Rahe Hai Bahujan?', that was published in its October edition, saying allegations that it has elements that show disregard to Goddess Durga were undesirable. "'Forward Press' mainly emphasises on the evident and new facts that prove India's oppressed Bahujan society's history, culture and tradition," said its editor Pramod Ranjan in a statement.