JNU row: CPI(M) attacks PM Modi, questions his silence

New Delhi, Feb 19: CPI(M) on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of inaction and remaining silent on the JNU row as it extended support to the "people's movement" against RSS-BJP on the issue.

The party also asked all "democratic and secular" forces in the country to support JNU students and teachers, who it added, have stood unitedly against the "assault" on the varsity.

"CPI(M) extends its full support to people's movement that is now breeding and developing against the RSS-BJP and against the complete inaction by the Prime Minister and his government. Till date, not a word has been said by the Prime Minister," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said while talking to reporters after conclusion of party's central committee meeting here on Thursday.

Yechury said notwithstanding assurances by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to a delegation of Left Front and JD(U) leaders recently, "innocent" students continue to face harassment at the varsity.

He accused BJP of resorting to "jingoistic and communal" polarisation to divert public attention from its alleged failure in keeping promises made during last Lok Sabha polls.

"And their other objective is to advance RSS objective of transforming secular Indian democratic republic into their version of rabidly intolerant fascistic Hindu Rashtra. In order to achieve that, they are changing character of our education system," Yechury charged.

His predecessor, Prakash Karat, observed that barring ABVP and RSS men, students and teachers of the JNU stood together unitedly to "fight back" this assault on the varsity.

"They must be given full support and backing by all democratic, secular and progressive forces in the country because this is a fight not just of JNU, it is a wider battle against the forces of a reactionary communal ideology and unreason," Karat said.

PTI