Congress appoints Kanhaiya Kumar as in-charge of party's student wing NSUI

Congress on Thursday named Kanhaiya Kumar as in-charge of National Students Union of India (NSUI), turning to a leader known for his fiery speeches and who hails from the Hindi heartland to head its student wing ahead of the general elections next year.

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A letter signed by Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal read, “Honourable Congress President (Mallikarjun Kharge) has appointed Shri Kanhaiya Kumar as AICC in-charge of National Students Union of India (NSUI), with immediate effect.”

Established on April 9, 1971, the NSUI is the Congress' student wing. The organisation was founded by Indira Gandhi after merging the Kerala Students Union and the West Bengal State Chhatra Parishad to form a national students' organisation, and is headed by Neeraj Kunadan.

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Who is Kanhaiya Kumar?

1. Born in 1987, Kanhaiya Kumar began getting involved in student politics in 2007 at the Patna College of Commerce.
2. In September 2015, he served as the president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) and the leader of the All India Students Federation (AISF).
3. In 2021, Kumar joined the Congress from the Communist Party of India (CPI). After joining the party he had said, “I am joining Congress because it's not just a party, it's an idea. It's the country's oldest and most democratic party, and I am emphasising on 'democratic'...Not just me many think that country can't survive without Congress.”
4. Kanhaiya has often shared stage at several political rallies with other young leaders including Jignesh Mevani and Hardik Patel. He is know for his sharp critique against the PM Modi-led government.
5. In 2016, he was arrested by the Delhi Police over the charges of sedition in an event at the JNU campus.