Many in the media say justice was not done. What is your reaction?
ABVP had from the very first day maintained that our leaders were innocent and the way this matter was presented both inside and outside the courts was wrong. Today our stand has been vindicated by the courts. We always had, and continue to have complete faith in our judicial system and have cooperated in the best possible way with the investigations and with the courts of law. Even when Himanshu Sabharwal asked for a trial outside Madhya Pradesh, both ABVP and the MP government immediately consented to a trial in any state in the Indian Union, and it was with our consent that the cases were transferred outside the state by the honourable Supreme Court. As far as a CBI inquiry is concerned, the Supreme Court itself denied the same. Even after a reinvestigation of the case that had fifty-nine witnesses, and in a trial that lasted three years with none of the men accused out on bail, our leaders were pronounced not guilty.
Are you satisfied with the role of media in this case?
Some part of the media is eager to sensationalise false issues for small gains. This is why they ran their coverage in this case like a project rewarded to them. Everyone has the right to opinion, but I was shocked the way responsible newspapers like Punjab Kesari and Jagran wrote their editorials. Just being carried away by the false propaganda carried out for political motives in the electronic media should not be our approach to justice in a democracy.
So what the electronic media showed was false?
They repeatedly showed students arguing with one Professor Nath and not Professor Sabharwal. Himanshu Sabharwal and his relative Manjeet Singh Sabharwal lied in the court of law, and have been pulled up for the same in the court order. They deliberately delayed the court’s proceedings for buying more time for propaganda activities and there was no evidence to their statements. I believe that the media should have had a greater eye for details, and should have acted more responsibly.
ABVP is always linked to BJP by your opponents.
A. That is funny. ABVP is the largest student organisation in the world and is independent of any political motives. We are a nationalist organisation, and it is the nationalist agenda of the BJP that we find them closer to our ideology as compared to other political parties. That is all. Rest is the hue and cry of an insecure leftist media group.
Smt Sabharwal went on record to say she would like to shoot you and your associates.
Let us not forget that she is under the pain of her husband’s death, and this may be just an outburst of her anger, but on the wrong people. We always had and even today extend our heartfelt sympathies to the Sabharwal family. But for a moment alone, I will request Smt Sabharwal to think like a mother. To think about those innocent college students who were in jail for three years for no crime committed, but for the Sabharwal family falling prey to the political use of the Congress. Even they are sons and brothers, even they have mothers and sisters waiting for them back home. How would she feel if Himanshu was falsely put behind bars for three years when he was innocent?
Shri Digvijay Singh has criticised the decision. Comment.
Shri Digvijay Singh has always been aggressive on nationalist forces, and has been receiving adequate replies by the masses for the same from time to time. ABVP has the complete CD of the incident which shows NSUI men attacking the premises with rods and weapons. The ABVP leaders, supported by Class representatives who are toppers in their classes, were arguing with Professor Nath, and not Professor Sabharwal, the same is shown in the video clipping telecast repeatedly by news channels. Shri Singh and his party should give up their false propaganda machinery.
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