MUMBAI: Former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) Kanhaiya Kumar lashed out at the Modi government during his interaction with the Mumbai media at the Mumbai Press Club on Wednesday. The people have chosen the government for development and not to protect a religion, he said while replying to questions.
The BJP promised to uproot corruption after coming to power. However, they shielded several corrupt leaders by accommodating them in their own party, Kanhaiya said as he raised questions over the Rafael deal. Why Narendra Modi doesn't announce the figures, he asked.
While demonetization hit the MSMEs hard, the company of Amit Shah's son made huge profits, Kanhaiya said and added that those who served the Britishers earlier are now serving Ambanis. Defending the quota demands raised by various communities including the Marathas, Kanhaiya blamed the unemployment and economic disparity for such demands being raised.
Quality services if made available to all the people below poverty line, that will help doing away the disparity, he added. While denying that he ever said "Bharat Tere Tukde Honge" Kanhaiya added that the society has fallen prey to the "hashtag mentality".
"People with hashtag mentality used the words Tukde Tukde," he said. While it is right to criticize Vajpayee, it is wrong to do so while mourning his death. But, it is also wrong to beat up any person doing so, Kanhaiya said while defending the act of MIM corporator in Aurangabad.
While stating that those killed Gauri Lankesh and those who are opposing him are the same, Kanhaiya said that the censorship that existed even earlier has grown now. He also deplored the government efforts by saying that efforts are being made to bring in Manu Smriti in place of the constitution.
He also raised questions over the arrest of suspected assailants who killed Dabholkar. Those arrested in Gauri Lankesh case revealed information on them. However, before Karnataka police could reach up to them the Maharashtra police did so in a haste, he said and asked why this was not done five years back.