Violence first resort of a coward says GFP on JNU violence

Panaji, Jan 06: The Goa Forward Party condemned the violence at JNU in Delhi and said the "heinous masked attack" on professors and students is "shocking and appalling".

Violence is the first resort of cowards and intellectually bankrupt, the party, an NDA ally, said.

Violence broke out at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march.

At least 28 people, including JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.

"The dastardly and heinous masked attack on the professors and students of JNU is shocking and appalling. The difference of opinion and dissent is democratic and should not and will not be allowed to be met with violence and assault. I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms," Goa Forward Party (GFP) president Vijai Sardesai said in a tweet.

Minutes later, the GFP, from its official handle, said "Violence is the first resort of cowards and the intellectually bankrupt. Only those ignorant of history will attempt to silence dissent and disagreements with such despicable methods. We strongly condemn the brutal attack on the teachers and students of JNU. Democracy lives!"

Eyewitnesses alleged the attackers entered the premises when a meeting was being held by JNU Teachers' Association on the issue of violence on campus and assaulted students and professors. They also barged into three hostels.

Video footage aired by some TV channels showed a group of men, who were brandishing hockey sticks and rods, moving around a building.

The Left-controlled JNUSU and the RSS-backed ABVP blamed each other for the incident.