As JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar’s fiery speech was broadcast on Thursday night, social media went into a tizzy, turning the 29-year-old into a celebrity overnight.
Out of jail on conditional bail, Kumar's hour-long speech was full of rustic references, humour and took several jabs at the government and the state of free speech and politics in India. He spoke of “azadi” (freedom) and made fun of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio show Mann ki Baat, among other jibes targeted at the establishment.
Kanhaiya’s excoriating speech clearly resonated with netizens, who took to Twitter and Facebook to raise some slogans of their own for the young firebrand, such as “Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki”.
Listening to #KanhaiyaKumar 's speech, mainstream politicians should get the jitters right about now.....😜
— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) March 3, 2016
"We want freedom not from India but from those who loot India.#Azaadi#KanhaiyaKumarpic.twitter.com/760K51Jdk3
— ਆਪ ਕਾ ਮਤੀਨ (@muntaziraapka) March 3, 2016
Congratulations to the BJP on creating their own Anna Hazare.
— Overrated Outcast (@over_rated) March 3, 2016
This is needed,this is what my country was searching from 2 yrs !
हाथी घोड़ा पालकी,जय कन्हैया लाल की #LalSalaam#KanhaiyaKumar
— SweetNBitter (@SibaniSahu) March 3, 2016
To witness #Kanhaiya . To be part of #Azaadi . That's JNU during Kanhaiya's speech. pic.twitter.com/vIt9KB5gOe
— Nitisha K (@Nitisha_Kashyap) March 3, 2016
Hum desh ko bechnewalon se #azaadi chahte hain: #KanhaiyaKumar after his return to #JNUpic.twitter.com/idpLDBTvhF
— Raja Bose (@teestasdad) March 3, 2016
Rockstar #KanhaiyaKumar walks free, released from jail #SatyamevJayate#JNUPower = #StudentPower ✌🏻#Azaadi ✊✌ pic.twitter.com/GaoUbwU1XS
— Pency Saxena (@PencyS) March 3, 2016
#Azaadi trending on Twitter. Will everyone on Twitter now be labelled anti-nationalist and booked for sedition?
— Ruhi Tewari (@ruhitewari) March 4, 2016
#kanhiyakumar Getin ABVP into main stream of University Politics failed. Nw wat new tatic and shrewd planning r dey goin to do?
— Himanshu Maurya (@himsjukebox) March 4, 2016
Breaking News
after #kanhiyakumar speech Modi immediately ordered to replace all kitchen utensils with saffron colored utensils IN JAIL
— Munnabai (@munnnabai) March 4, 2016
Fail to undertsand why #kanhiyakumar was kept in Jail for so long for something he has not done and others get bails in an hour.
— Sabit Aziz (@azizspeaksss) March 4, 2016
Modi sarkaar ke dhakosale , sapno aur jumlon par uchalne wale logon aur sanghiyon se #Azaadi
— Rahul suri (@Asklepias199029) March 4, 2016
Many middle class comfortable in their drawing rooms stirred too #KanhiyaKumarhttps://t.co/6hxf1qm9Us
— Jyoti Mukul (@mukuljyoti) March 4, 2016
#KanhaiyaKumar giving sleepless nights to Sanghis and loyal Bhakts #Azaadi
— Numaan (@imnumaan) March 4, 2016
But then there were some who thought that the JNUSU's support for Afzal Guru, who was convicted for his role in the December 2001 terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament, appalling.
You know PM is losing connect with the youth when a young student's speech from JNU is being talked about more than any Mann Ki Baat.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) March 4, 2016
Hardik Patel, Kanhaiya Kumar - youth desperate for new leader who can relate to them, talks to them and takes questions. Why govt doesn't?
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) March 4, 2016
RT AskAnshul: JNU #Azaadi seekers want Azaadi of everything but they'll never ask "Subsidy se Azaadi" because Subsidy is lifeline of their …
— NRI बाबा (@TwoBoyIndia) March 4, 2016
They Say They Believe In Law & Justice. Then They Question The Hanging Of Terrorist Afzal Guru. #Hypocrites#KanhaiyaKumar कन्हैया लाल
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) March 3, 2016
तो मतलब भक्त आज के बाद #जय_कन्हैया_लाल की नहीं बोलेंगें?
— Sandeep Bisht (@iSandeepBisht) February 23, 2016
#KanhaiyaReturns & demands #Azaadi in the #azadispeech but all he may get is #BabbarSherpic.twitter.com/502CddnJ0z
— SiLLy (@Si_LLy) March 3, 2016
Every one has #Azaadi to piss on streets and walls of houses... Whatz this new #Azaadi? https://t.co/lvKPPEXMXD
— Bezawada Rowdy (@Tenali_RK) March 4, 2016
We want #Azaadi from dumb news featuring hooligan students shouting in favour of my country's destruction.
— Yolo (@Glitzyolo) March 4, 2016
It must be upheld.Representative & citizens needed to be heared & responded by Govt. Curbing this will push us for #Azaadi frm autocracy
— Dr. Khan Zafar #INC (@DrKhanzafar) March 4, 2016
Doesn't agree on few points with kanhaiya bt what stunned me is that after so much torture he was talking abt the issues he raised#Azaadi
— Apoorv Verma (@Apurv02) March 4, 2016
#Azaadi#kanhiyakumar wants Congress to rule , the same #Congress which kept his family poor for last 60yrs, Idiot wants Maoism.. #Shame
— Praful (@SwamiPraful) March 4, 2016
#kanhiyakumar wants #Azaadi for Umar Khalid, who worships terrorists like Afzal guru. Wah kya soch hai beta tumhari!
— Pankaj (@Pankajgii) March 4, 2016
What ppl don't see is that Hardik Patel & #KanhiyaKumar are ideologically parallel. HP fighting to remove reservation, KK for reservation!
— Ashis (@ashiskharel) March 4, 2016
Wonder if they are there to study or carry out political agenda of their masters at tax payer's money.#Azaadihttps://t.co/Uc9cEYNBp6
— D S (@justDSingh) March 4, 2016
Congress & AAP are supporting #KanhiyaKumar without knowing that he is their direct competitor in anti-Modi politics. #azaadi
— Neel Rao (@neelrao) March 4, 2016
Media trying hard to make a hero out of #kanhiyakumar ...bt ppl will not forget tht he was caught supporting Pakistan Zindabad sloganeering
— PS (@prasha_19) March 4, 2016
Check out Kumar's entire speech here:
Contact HuffPost India
Also On HuffPost: