Kanhaiya Kumar was blamed for not stopping students who allegedly raised 'anti-India' slogans.
At a meet Kanhaiya Kumar press conference on Friday, India's most in-the-news student said he is "a resident of this country, not a terrorist," as he fielded questions, some tough, with a disarming smile and soft speech.
The 28-year-old JNU Students' Union president, who trended worldwide after a fiery speech at his university last night, today refused to answer questions about a possible career in politics. "I am not a politician, I am a student," he said, assuring taxpayers that "their money is well spent in subsidising places of education like JNU."
"The students at JNU can never be anti-national", said the young man who was released on bail yesterday after 21 days at Delhi's Tihar Jail on charges of sedition. Such charges, he said, should not be used against students. "We understand the limits of freedom of speech," he said.
Kanhaiya Kumar's supporters huddled around him protectively, sometimes prompting him and cheering every catchy one-liner that he delivered. Mr Kumar was clear he would not answer questions about the event at the JNU campus on February 9 where the police alleges anti-India slogans were raised and which led to his arrest. But he said he "unequivocally denounced it."
There were references to the huge controversy that has swirled around his arrest - "The Constitution is not a video that can be doctored," Mr Kumar said in reference to footage of him televised by some news channels that a forensic lab has said is doctored according to a Delhi government report.
He also said, "Afzal Guru is not my hero, Rohith Vemula is," in answer to a question, repeatedly paying tribute to the Dalit research scholar who committed suicide at a Hyderabad University in January.
The student attacked the Modi government over Rohith Vemula's death and on several other issues also making a jibe at PM Modi's Sunday radio programme, when he said, "Matbhed hai manbhed nahi, Mann ki baat nahi kar rahe hain isliye."
In a strong attack he also said, "It has become the government of one party. Not party, one office. We have to make them realise that they are accountable to the country."