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Saffron party leaders led the violence at JNU, says former BJP MP
New Delhi: The Congress Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spearheading the violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday evening in which
New Delhi: The Congress Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spearheading the violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday evening in which 26 people, including students and teachers, were injured.
Former MP and Congress leader Udit Raj alleged that Delhi BJP’s local unit leaders were shouting slogans and instigating violence on the campus.
At a press conference addressed by Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala and senior party leaders, Udit Raj named six people from the Delhi BJP who were shouting slogans such as ‘Mar saalo ko (beat them up)’ and instigating violence.
Raj, a former BJP MP from North West Delhi who joined the Congress before 2019 Lok Sabha elections, alleged that former BJP MLA RK Puram Anil Sharma, former BJP district president of Mehrauli Azad Singh along with four other party’s Mehrauli unit members were present outside JNU on Sunday evening.
“I have a video where they are shouting slogans ‘wanpanthiyo gundo ko.. maro goli (shoot the leftist goons)’. I was witness to this for three hours. They can be seen shouting slogans and leading the mob of 100-150 people. There is no doubt who went inside. They were hitting on the gate and were trying to enter the campus. But the police remained mute spectators,” Raj alleged.
When contacted, Sharma and Singh admitted that they were outside the varsity gate but refuted Raj’s claim. Sharma said he had reached around 8pm after he heard the news of violence.
Both the BJP leaders said they were there just like all leaders of other political parties. “Yogendra Yadav, D Raja and other political leaders were also there. I had gone there as the campus is in the adjoining assembly constituency. He (Raj) should show one proof that we were involved in the violence or were instigating people, we are ready for the harshest punishment. We were trying to pacify people,” Sharma said. He said he reached the campus around 8pm.
Singh, too, challenged Raj to place proof in public domain. “We got reports that ABVP students were beaten up. We were concerned and that is why we went to the varsity. There were other political leaders present there too. Raj should show the proof that we were there,” Singh said.
Addressing media persons, Surjewala said the JNU administration was “complicit” in the attack on campus. “The police were mute spectators as goons damaged ambulances outside and beating up students on the campus. These goons belong to the BJP and its frontal student wing ABVP. This was happening with the tacit support of home minister Amit Shah.”
“The manner in which youths and students are being attacked and their voices stifled, reminds us of the Nazi Germany of 1933, which seems to have come back under the rule of Modi and Shah,” Surjewala said.
When asked about the allegations levelled by the Congress against BJP leaders, deputy commissioner of police southwest Devender Arya said, “As and when we get a complaint in this regard, we will investigate. People from both sides were present outside the gate. Police ensured that no damage to person was cause inside and outside (the campus). We successfully managed the situation.”
