Kanhaiya Kumar's Mumbai event shifted to Tilak Nagar from Worli

The organisers of event said the venue had to be changed allegedly under "pressure" from Sangh Pariwar constituents.

Mumbai: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar will on Saturday address an event 'Student Youth Assembly Against Discrimination' at Adarsh Vidayalay in Tilak Nagar here.

Earlier, the venue was the Janata Shikshan Sanstha in Worli.

However, the organisers of the event on Friday said that the venue had to be changed allegedly under "pressure" from Sangh Pariwar constituents.

The programme has been organised by a number of Left wing organisations including, Student Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Federation (AISF), All India Demoratic Students organisations (AIDSO), Purogami Yuvak Sanghathana (PVS) and Chhatrabharati.

Defeat fascism! Defend democracy!
Saturday 23 April, 2pm Adarsh Vidyalay Hall
Near TIlak Nagar Station (E), Mumbai pic.twitter.com/w6YSOHOqWk — Kanhaiya Kumar (@kanhaiyajnusu) April 22, 2016

Addressing a press conference here, the organising committee members had yesterday alleged the change in the venue was due to the "pressure" created by the Sangh Pariwar constituents on the machinery.

"Despite abiding by the required criteria we were denied permission due to pressure from certain quarters as we did not get any written assurance from police for protection," Abhilasha Shrivastava, SFI secretary and member of the event organising committee, said.

"When we decided to hold the programme, we thought that the biggest problem will be the ongoing Mumbai University exams. But during our campaign, we found that that was not an issue. The students were very welcoming. They wanted the leaders of various universities to come over here and interact with them. The problem has been created by police and the government machinery," she added.

Shrivastava further said, "The administration is being pressurised so that student leaders are unable to express their views."

Another member of the event organising committee, Dhanajay Kangude, alleged, "The constituents of Sangh Pariwar are threatening organisers through various possible means.

"They pressurised Janata Sikshan Sanstha to get the programme cancelled."

Besides Kanhaiya Kumar, Allahabad University Student Union president Richa Singh, vice-president of JNUSU Shehla Rashid and others will speak on the occasion and advocate Irfan Engineer and Teesta Setalvad will be among those who will remain present there.

(With PTI inputs)