Seven leaders of East Singhbhum unit of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of Congress, were expelled from the organisation for three years for posting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on the party’s official WhatsApp group, officials said on Tuesday.
NSUI district President Rose Tirkey issued an official order to this effect, expelling NSUI Jamshedpur workers Kamal Agrawal, Raj Mahato, Rahul Giri, Anand Singh, Prashant Kumar, Lav Kumar and Jayanto Pramanik.
“These people promoted factionalism against NSUI district president and promoted a particular religion in NSUI’s official WhatsApp group. All these leaders are being expelled immediately from the NSUI for three years for their anti-party activities, social media posts against party lines organisational protocol, and promoting factionalism within the organisation,” Tirkey stated in the order.
She said secularism was the foundation on which Congress and NSUI stands. “Congress and NSUI are not based or inclined to any particular religion, it’s not a party or organisation of any particular religion. There’’s no need and place for leaders resorting to such acts. This apart, they were continuously posting objectionable posts against district president on social media, leading to mental harassment. They have been resorting to anti-party activities. They were also promoting factionalism and accusing NSUI district leadership of arbitrarily forming a new team,” Tirkey’s order, copy of which is with the HT, read.
However, one of the expelled persons Kamal Agrawal said he did not receive any such order. “I have not received the expulsion order as yet, but came to know about it from media. I had a detailed talk with our state president Aamir Hashmi recently over organisational matters. Doesn’t everyone has the right to practice their religion in this country? We wished each other with Jai Shri Ram the way Sikhs say Wahe Guru,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}However, one of the expelled persons Kamal Agrawal said he did not receive any such order. “I have not received the expulsion order as yet, but came to know about it from media. I had a detailed talk with our state president Aamir Hashmi recently over organisational matters. Doesn’t everyone has the right to practice their religion in this country? We wished each other with Jai Shri Ram the way Sikhs say Wahe Guru,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, BJP district general secretary Rakesh Singh termed the move as “anti-Hindu”. “This is promoting appeasement. Now, Congress has objection to Jai Shri Ram in Jharkhand after Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal. Congress’ student wing expelled its members for taking Lord Ram’s name in Lord Ram’s country. Top Congress leaders raise doubt over existence of Lord Ram, who is revered and worshipped by billions of Hindus,” said Singh.