Priyanka Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal react to JNU violence, slam Modi

Protests in Mumbai. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party leader Digvijaya Singh has criticised the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the violence in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday.

"India has an established global reputation as a liberal democracy. Now Modi-Shah's goons are rampaging through our universities, spreading fear among our children, who should be preparing for a better future," Priyanka tweeted.

"To add insult to injury, BJP leaders are all over the media pretending that it wasn't their goons who unleashed this violence. The people are not deceived," she added.

Meanwhile, commenting on the incident Digvijaya Singh said, "I condemn this incident... This whole incident happened on the directions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah."

The Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal also took to the micro-blogging site. He said, "I am so shocked to know abt the violence at JNU. Students attacked brutally. Police shud immediately stop violence and restore peace. How will the country progress if our students will not be safe inside univ campus?"

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday accused the left students of defaming the Jawaharlal University and has said that they have turned the university into a centre of hooliganism.

"The way the left party workers have created a ruckus in JNU campus and have beaten up student, I don't know what they want JNU to become in this country. Left students are defaming Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), they have turned the University into a centre of hooliganism", Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Smriti Irani has urged that the universities should not be converted into political centres while asserting that investigation will reveal more details of the incident.

"Investigation has begun, so will not be right to speak on it now, but Universities should not be turned into hubs of politics, neither should students be used as political pawns", Irani told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has called the Registrar, Proctor and Rector of JNU to his office on Monday.

On Sunday evening, more than 18 students of the university, including JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh, were injured and were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered the JNU and attacked them and professors with sticks and rods.

The JNU administration and political leaders, cutting across political lines, had condemned the attack on students and urged the police to take action against the perpetrators.

(with inputs from agencies)

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