PM addressing J'khand rallies, won't speak on 'violence on students': Cong

New Delhi: Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Sunday said he is busy addressing poll rallies in Jharkhand but will not speak on the "violence on students" in Delhi.

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The opposition party alleged Delhi is burning and the Modi government had failed to fulfil its duty to maintain peace across the nation.

Trouble started after violence erupted during a protest by students of Jamia Millia Islamia University against the amended Citizenship Act on Sunday evening.

Protestors torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in south Delhi's New Friends' Colony near the varsity.

Soon after the violence, Jamia Millia Islamia Chief Proctor Waseem Ahmed Khan claimed, the Delhi Police entered the campus forcibly without any permission and beat up staff members and students who were forced to leave the premises.

"From the North East to Assam, West Bengal and now in Delhi. The BJP government has failed in its duty to maintain peace in the nation. They must take responsibility and restore peace in our country," the Congress said on its official Twitter handle.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked if it was justified that the police entered the university's library, beat up students and lobbed tear gas shells at them.

"Delhi is burning, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya are burning. Violence is spreading in Bengal, the home minister does not have the courage to go the northeast, Japan PM's visit had to be cancelled, but Modiji is happy doing poll campaign in Jharkhand.

"Those who oppose it are dubbed as traitors and Jamia is the recent example of this," he said.

"Is it justified that the BJP government enters the library and hostel at Jamia University and throws tear gas and beats up the youth. Can students not protest against the CAB2019 which is a blow to the soul of the Constitution," Surjewala asked.

The Congress also demanded a probe into the violence.

"We demand that there should be high-level probe into the manner in which the police beat up students and indulged in violence. The home minister should also take responsibility as Delhi Police comes under the ministry's purview," said Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera.

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He said one has not seen such kind of violence in Delhi in the past 30 years. It seems this government has some kind of enmity with the youth, he noted.

"Wonder what kind of government is this. This is the first such government where Japan PM is unable to come, home minister is unable to visit North east and the prime minister is busy doing poll campaign in Jharkhand.

"We condemn the violence on students of Jamia Millia Islamia University. We also condemn the torching of buses. The police entered Jamia while violating all norms. You see Kashmir, North East and now the fire has reached Delhi, but the PM is still doing campaigning in Jharkhand," he said.

Nearly 60 people including students, cops and fire fighters were injured in Sunday's violence.

"I strongly condemn the brutal crackdown on the innocent students of Jamia by Delhi Police. I appeal everyone to maintain restraint and peace. Arvind Kejriwal and MHA must intervene to resolve the crisis in Jamia in a cordial manner," AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said.

Another Congress spokesperson Ragini Naik said it is unfortunate that police is beating up students in libraries, which shows the state of governance.

"Modi ji does not speak about the violence on students in Delhi,,but is busy addressing poll rallies. The time has come for the entire opposition to get together and jostle the Modi government out of slumber.

"A mere probe is not enough and strict punishment should be given to those behind this kind of violence...It is unfortunate that the government is turning universities into political battlegrounds," she said.

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(PTI)