Caravan News
NEW DELHI – A day after the police action at Jamia Millia Islamia here amid protests against the new citizenship law, Opposition parties on Monday launched an attack on the central government, holding it responsible for the violence against students.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sat on a dharna at India Gate while Opposition leaders said they plan to approach President Ram Nath Kovind to demand a judicial probe into the police action.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the government has declared war on the country and its people. “Modi government has become the creator of violence and divisiveness… the government has pushed the country into a dark abyss of hatred… how can a country function if those in power themselves instigate violence, attack the Constitution…” she said.
“They want to create an atmosphere of religious frenzy for making political gains…. and the sutradhar is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah… the citizenship amendment Bill and NRC are part of this divisive policy to shift attention,” she added.
Opposition leaders also addressed a joint press conference. While all the parties which opposed the Bill were not present, the Congress, the Left, SP and RJD came together to condemn the incident. “The way police forced their way into the university, assaulted students even in libraries and toilets… the police entered the university without permission of the authorities… And they did not even leave girl students… this is barbaric… there should be a judicial inquiry,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said “what happened in Jamia…was unacceptable in a democracy… no police can enter any university without the permission of the authorities…. you saw the brutality with which they dealt with the students… this is not a Hindu-Muslim issue. The CAA is an affront to the Indian Constitution… on whose orders the police entered the university?”
CPI general secretary D Raja said there was a civil war-like situation in the country for which Home Minister Amit Shah and the Prime Minister should be held responsible.
“Amit Shah must be held responsible for such brutality by the police. What is the response of the Home Minister, where is he?” Raja asked.
RJD’s Manoj Jha, SP’s Javed Ali Khan and LJD leader Sharad Yadav also condemned the police action.
Speaking from the dharna at India Gate, Priyanka said the police action was an assault on India’s soul. “The youth have the right to protest and raise their voice… the Constitution has given them that right… you have entered an university and attacked students. I am a mother… Those children are of the same age as my children… they go to university to study… you have entered their library, dragged them out and assaulted…” she said.
On the Prime Minister’s remarks that the new law does not affect any citizen of any religion in the country, she said, “The PM should speak on atrocities against women which have been taking place on a daily basis, he should speak on employment… he should speak on the sinking economy…”
