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Priyanka Gandhi, Yogendra Yadav and Swara Bhasker voice their condemnation against the JNU violence unleashed by masked goons on campus.

Thugs, fascists, storm troopers: Oppn slams govt on JNU 'terror attack'

The Federal
5 Jan 2020 6:17 PM GMT  (Updated:2020-01-05 18:26:56)

Opposition leaders strongly condemned the hooliganism in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday (January 5) unleashed by masked goons who attacked students and teachers and vandalised property and left around 20 students injured.

“Fascist”, “cowardly act”, “thugs”, “goons”, “storm troopers” were some of the terms alluded to the government and the miscreants by the leaders who took to Twitter to show their solidarity with the victims.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav who reached his alma mater around 9pm slammed the police for closing the gates and standing guard outside, instead of taking action against the goons. The former AAP leader was manhandled outside the gates.

Videos circulating on social media showed lathi-wielding masked goons roaming around the campus. Students’ union president Aishe Ghosh was seen bleeding with injuries to her head. Several others were taken to hospital.

“Goons are roaming around with lathis. Girls’ hostels have been attacked. Girls are running to safety out of fear. But police is not doing anything,” Yadav said.

He alleged that the goons had gotten inside the campus “with the protection of police” and were “unleashing violence”.

“I have talked to teachers and students inside, and they say that there is an atmosphere of horror and fear inside. Somebody’s head has been injured, somebody has had a fracture. But police is only concerned about not letting in your cameras,” he told reporters at the gate. “And their friends are concerned that I should not be speaking to you.”

Also read | JNU alumni and BJP ministers Jaishankar and Sitharaman condemn violence

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed shock at the violence in the varsity.

“I am so shocked to know abt the violence at JNU. Students attacked brutally. Police shud immediately stop violence and restore peace. How will the country progress if our students will not be safe inside univ campus?” he sought to know.

He also said that he had urged LG Anil Baijal to direct police to restore order.

“He (Baijal) has assured that he is closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps,” he said.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached AIIMS in Delhi to meet the JNU students injured during violence at the campus.

“It’s deeply sickening about a government that allows violence inflicted on their own children. Many wounded students at AIIMS have broken limbs and injuries on their heads,” she said.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressed shock over the incident and said “fascists are in control” of the nation. “The brutal attack on JNU students & teachers by masked thugs that has left many seriously injured, is shocking. The fascists in control of our nation, are afraid of the voices of our brave students. Today’s violence in JNU is a reflection of that fear. #SOSJNU (sic),” he tweeted.

West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee condemned the violence on students in JNU.

“We strongly condemn brutality unleashed against students/teachers in JNU. No words enough to describe such heinous acts,” she tweeted.

Former UP CM and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav termed the ABVP members storm troopers of the BJP.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday condemned the attack on students of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, calling it an  “undemocratic act”.

“JNU students and professors were subjected to a cowardly but planned attack. I strongly condemn this undemocratic act of vandalism and violence,” Pawar tweeted.

“Use of violent means to suppress democratic values and thought will never succeed,” he added.

Actor Swara Bhasker said there was “a terror attack on JNU” allegedly by ABVP members and appealed to all to gather at the varsity to show solidarity with the victims.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitharam Yechury termed it as a planned attacked “by those in power”. “Reports coming from JNU point to collusion between the administration and goons of ABVP to inflict violence on students and teachers. It is a planned attack by those in power, which is afraid of the resistance provided by JNU to its Hindutva agenda. Masked attackers entered the campus while law enforcers stood by. This is the proof of what RSS/BJP want to convert India to. They will not be allowed to succeed,” he said.

It is shocking and horrifying to see live telecast of “masked men entering JNU hostels and attacking students,” Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Sunday and alleged that such an “act of impunity can only happen with the support of the government.”

DMK president MK Stalin too condemned the incident.

“Shocked to see visuals of masked miscreants attacking JNU students inside the campus. DMK condemns rising incidents of violence against students within universities in the aftermath of #CAA2019  All those who are responsible for these incidents must brought to book immediately,” said Stalin.

Akhilesh YadavArvind KejriwalJNU violenceMamata BanerjeeOppositionPartiesPriyanka GandhiRahul GandhiReactionsSharad PawarSitaram YechurySwara Bhasker
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