Sonia Gandhi condemns “sponsored violence” in JNU

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday condemned the “sponsored violence” in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus that took place on Sunday and demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the same.

“Yesterday’s bone chilling attack on students and teachers in JNU, Delhi is a grim reminder of the extent the Govt will go to stifle and subjugate every voice of dissent,” Gandhi said in a statement.

She further alleged that the voice of India’s youth and students is being muzzled every day. “The horrifying and unprecedented violence unleashed on India’s young by goons with active abetment of the ruling Modi Govt is deplorable and unacceptable,” she said.

The Congress chief further alleged everyday campuses and colleges are raided across India, either by the police or lumpen elements with support of the BJP government.

“Students and youth need affordable education, a deserving job, a promising future and a right to participate in our thriving democracy. Sadly, Modi Govt seeks to suffocate and restrain each one of these aspirations,” she said.

Also read: Is ABVP behind JNU attack?

“The entire Congress Party stands in solidarity with India’s youth and students. We strongly deprecate the sponsored violence in JNU yesterday and demand an independent judicial inquiry,” she added.

Masked men and women carrying rods, sticks and sledgehammers unleashed violence in the JNU campus on Sunday. Students, teachers were attacked by the masked mob as well as campus property was also damaged.

At least 26 people, including JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh, were in the violence that continued for nearly two hours in the JNU campus.

As per eyewitnesses and many of those who got injured in the brutal violence, the attack was carried out by mostly outsiders and belonged to the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad). However, the RSS student outfit has denied the charge.