Kiren Rijiju on Ramjas: Be loyal Indians, don't turn campuses into anti-India hub
Amid prevailing tension on the Delhi University Campus, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has said that the government cannot allow the university and college campuses to turn into anti-India hub.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju today sent a terse message to those purportedly raising anti-India slogans on university and college campuses.
Responding to a query about violence in the Ramjas College of Delhi University, Rijiju said, "No anti-India slogans will be allowed in the name of freedom of speech."
"We should not convert any college into anti-India hub. We shouldn't make statements, which will harm national interest. We have fundamental rights but fundamental duties are also there to be adhered to," Rijiju said.
"Do you want India to become week? We want India to become stronger than what we are now, and for that entire country should be united. Please be loyal Indians. Don't make any statement which will amount to being anti-India," Rijiju said in response to another query.
READ| Flashpoint Ramjas College: AISA protests against ABVP, Delhi Police day after violence
- Tension prevails on Delhi University's North Campus today after two days of clashes between ABVP and AISA supporters over an event invitation sent to JNU student Umar Khalid.
- Ramjas College had turned into a battleground yesterday as students of AISA and the ABVP armed with hockey sticks rained blows on each other, causing injuries to many.
- Classes remained suspended at the college since morning even as the authorities claimed it was due to "administrative reasons" and not because of the tense situation.
- The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid, facing sedition charge, and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on 'Culture of Protests' which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the ABVP.
- The students of JNU and DU who are members of All India Students Association (AISA) staged a protest at the Delhi Police Headquarters at ITO, the Congress' student wing National Students Union of India took out a peace march to Maurice Nagar police station.
- Khalid, who gave a miss to protests yesterday and the day before, joined the protesters at ITO in raising slogans of "ABVP se azaadi" and demanding registration of an FIR against them.
- A huge posse of police personnel was deployed on the north campus in the wake of the situation prevailing since yesterday even as DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi urged the students not to resort to violence.
- Members of NSUI marched toward Maurice Nagar police station chanting "Raghupati Raghav Raj Ram" as they condemned violent action by the ABVP.
- Around 50 members of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad also gathered outside the Arts faculty at North Campus and reiterated they will not allow "any repeat of JNU like events" in the university.
- The ABVP accused the AISA supporters of raising anti-national slogans and disrespecting the national flag.
(With inputs from PTI)