AAP holds Modi, Rajnath responsible for DU violence

Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas appealed to students to debate in a democratic way.

New Delhi, Feb 23: Urging the students to shun violence, the AAP on Thursday held Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh responsible for violence at Delhi University's Ramjas College on Wednesday.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas appealed to students not to indulge in violence but instead debate in a democratic way in case of divergence of views.

"If anti-national slogans are raised inside campuses of universities and colleges, which churn out talented personalities, it is the failure of the prime minister and the home minister," Vishwas said.

Referring to the Jawaharlal Nehru University incident where anti-national slogans were raised in February last year, the AAP leader said Modi should take responsibility since the real culprits have still not been identified and arrested.

"Keeping the Uttar Pradesh elections in view, now the same tactics are being used in Ramjas College to vitiate the atmosphere," Vishwas said.

He urged the Uttar Pradesh voters not to get swayed by divisive tactics and vote on the basis of merit of candidates.

Vishwas also targeted the Delhi Police for failing to bring the situation under control and said it was shameful that it was being used as a tool by the Centre.

Hundreds of students on Thursday protested outside the Delhi Police headquarters, a day after clashes between student groups left several injured at the Ramjas College.

The clashes were triggered over an invitation to JNU student Umar Khalid, who was jailed last year over sedition charges, for a literary seminar titled 'Cultures of Protest' at Ramjas College.

The two-day event from Tuesday was cancelled after Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists forced the organisers to withdraw the invite to Khalid, who they called 'anti-national'.

IANS