Delhi Police detained Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar from Kerala House on Friday.
The action followed a complaint after an alleged altercation.
Kumar criticised Amit Shah and Delhi Police while being taken into custody.
Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar was taken into custody by Delhi Police from the premises of Kerala House in New Delhi on Friday, July 24, following a complaint by Kerala Resident Commissioner Puneet Kumar, The Hindu reported.
Kanhaiya Kumar is the All India Congress Committee in-charge of the National Students’ Union of India, the Congress party’s student wing.
The incident took place at Kerala House, located on Jantar Mantar Road, at a time when student and youth protests were underway in the area over examination paper leaks, unemployment and other education-related concerns.
Why Was Kanhaiya Kumar Taken Into Custody?
Kanhaiya Kumar had gone to Kerala House to visit a friend and approached the authorities regarding a room that was apparently booked in his friend’s name.
A source at Kerala House told The Hindu that officials informed him that no room was available. Kumar then approached Resident Commissioner Puneet Kumar to seek clarification, following which an argument allegedly broke out.
“There was an altercation between both of them and the Resident Commissioner called the Delhi Police and asked them to remove Mr. Kumar from the premises,” the source said.
The report said police action followed a complaint filed by the Resident Commissioner. However, Puneet Kumar did not respond to messages seeking his comment on the incident.
'Governor Is king'
While being detained, Kumar told reporters that he had been informed Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar was expected to arrive at Kerala House later in the day.
Mocking the explanation reportedly offered to him, Kumar said, “Governor was coming, and Governor is King.”
He maintained that he had visited Kerala House only to meet a friend and criticised the manner in which he was removed from the premises.
“This is the behaviour of [Union Home Minister] Amit Shah and the Delhi Police,” Kumar said.
Kanhaiya Kumar’s office said he was taken to Jaffarpur Kalan police station in southwest Delhi.
“We are yet to get more details. We are sending legal help to him,” his office said.
NSUI Says Detention Would Not Weaken The Movement
The National Students’ Union of India accused Delhi Police of detaining Kumar while he was on his way to the organisation’s office.
In a post on X, the NSUI said, “Amit Shah ji's police is so scared that they have detained NSUI's national in-charge @kanhaiyakumar ji on his way to the NSUI office.”
The student organisation said the detention would not weaken the ongoing agitation.
“The more they try to suppress the voice of students, the stronger this fight will advance. We will neither bow nor stop,” it added.
