Kanhaiya Kumar denied entry in Vidhan Bhavan

JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was not allowed to attend the proceedings of the Legislative Council on Tuesday

JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar had a run in with the BJP-led state government on Wednesday after he was denied entry inside the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

Kanhaiya Kumar outside Vidhan Bhavan after he was denied entry in the Assembly in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Anshuman Poyrekar/ HT)

Kumar, who had a visitors’ entry pass and a council gallery pass said he had come to Vidhan Bhavan to see the live proceedings of the council but was denied entry by security officials. Kanhaiya was here with eight of his colleagues in the early afternoon but was confined to the police beat inside the Vidhan Bhavan premises. Talking to reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Kumar said, “As per the rules, I have a gallery pass that is needed to enter the upper House. I was denied the permission despite this.”

Shashikant Borate, deputy commissioner of police and chief security officer of Vidhan Bhavan clarified that visitors gallery pass is issued but it normally lapses after an hour of issuance.

“Kanhaiya’s gallery pass was valid between 12 noon to 1pm. When he entered the premises at around 12.30pm, Council proceedings were already adjourned for half an hour. The adjournment was later extended for another half-an-hour and he was not allowed to attend the proceedings,” Borate told HT.

The opposition termed this move undemocratic with NCP leader Jitendra Awhad saying that if the student leader had a valid pass, there was no reason to detain him.

Kanhaiya was in Mumbai to attend an anniversary program of the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP). After Vidhan Bhavan, he left for Khalapur to attend an event. This is Kanhaiya’s third visit to the state this year. He has been hosted in the past by the PWP party and had even addressed a students rally in Chembur.