CHANDIGARH: The BJP has demanded an NIA probe into the events leading to the escalation of violence at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara.
Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation to identify those behind the violence at the university.
``It is a matter for investigation how a peaceful student protest suddenly escalated after armed outsiders allegedly joined it,’’ he said.
Jakhar also questioned whether anyone had tried to exploit the students’ emotions to stir unrest in Punjab, either because of a political rivalry or at the behest of separatists based in a neighbouring country or the United States.
"This issue is very serious that we have demanded an NIA investigation into the incident and any related earlier events to identify any external or internal forces involved. We respect the students’ feelings and want their interests protected,” he said.
Jakhar alleged that when someone leaves the Aam Aadmi Party because of its policies, the party expresses its political frustration through vindictive actions. He claimed that AAP leaders had declared “saam, daam, dand, bhed” — persuasion, inducement, punishment and division as their policy for winning elections.
"An investigation should expose any such forces while protecting the students’ interests,” he said, questioning whether people who felt politically threatened ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Jalandhar had tried to disrupt the atmosphere at the expense of the students’ futures.
"Thus a probe is necessary to find out who wants to use our children like gunpowder to create unrest,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary spoke to university founder and Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal about the safety and interests of students from Bihar. Mittal assured him of full cooperation and necessary steps to ensure their safety.
The development comes after the university asked hostel residents to return to their homes for 10 days and announced the closure of the campus in an effort to restore normalcy following the violence.