New Delhi: Congress on Monday trained its gun on Prime Minister Narendra Modi even as the Delhi Univeristy Students Union started a 'Tiranga March' in the university's North Campus. Addressing a press conference on Monday, Congress leader Manish Tiwari said that ABVP is "backed by the Sangh Pariwar", and "violence runs in their DNA".
"ABVP is trying to intimidate people everywhere. There is a clear pattern of this violence cutting across universities," he said.
"You may not like what the person thinks but trolling, mindless threats... trolling emanating from people whom the Prime Minister follows. This is the worst form of state intimidation and this is not how democracies and democratic countries function.
"It is extremely unfortunate and highly reprehensible. Needs to be condemned in the strongest terms that an alternative point of view, if not liked or accepted, will be met by state intimidation and state-sponsored violence whether it is in the real or virtual world," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.
He was replying to a query about rape threats issued to Gurmehar Kaur, a Lady Sri Ram College student, after she condemned the ABVP for violence at Ramjas College.
Reacting to BJP Mysuru MP Pratap Simha's remarks against her, he said, "Such a gentleman certainly does not deserve to be in Parliament.
Delhi University AISA President Kawalpreet Kaur told CNN-News18 that there was no outsider at Ramjas College event disrupted by the ABVP supporters, contrary to the claims made by ABVP that the event had a lot of people from Jawahar Lal University.
"There was no outsider... ABVP was the only outsider disrupting the event," she said, "Ramjas College and professors don't need any certificate from Parishad gundas."
Saket also said that Kaur was deviating from the topic and "the college admin had cancelled the event only for Umar Khalid". "I don't know why is ABVP being named."
However, Ramjas college Principal Rajendra Prasad told CNN-News18 that he had no idea about any protest march and urged students to "sit and talk". "I would say these are the challenges we have to face... It is going to affect each and every party," he said, adding that the students should talk and "restore normalcy".
Ramjas College which witnessed widespread violence over the last week has also ordered an enquiry to look into its students' involvement in clashes over a seminar. However, the college resolved to stand by its teachers and students who organised the event.
"An enquiry committee has been constituted to probe the involvement of Ramjas' students in provoking or initiating the violence. Principal Rajendar Prasad will address the students and teachers on Monday morning urging them to maintain peace and not be scared of anything," a senior college official said.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh who was in Varanasi on Monday said he was in touch with Delhi Police over the situation arising out of the Ramjas College clash.
The minister told journalists that he had asked Delhi Police to act with caution.
"I have told Delhi Police to practice restraint so that nothing goes wrong. I am constantly in touch with the police commissioner," he said.
Delhi University's Ramjas College witnessed violent clashes on February 22 after ABVP members allegedly forced the cancellation of a seminar and the next day disrupted a march by its critics.
The Delhi Police was widely blamed for not restraining the ABVP activists and also for assaulting students and journalists.
Three policemen were suspended last week on charges of assault.
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