NEW DELHI: In an apparent attack at the Left Parties, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday advised JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar to help the concerned authorities to see that activities similar to the February 9 event are curbed in the university rather than enjoying the publicity.
“He is enjoying the publicity. What is there? The question is let him condemn those slogans and distance himself from that. Let him help the authorities to see that such activities are curbed in the university,” Naidu told ANI.
“They must study and stay away from politics. If they are interested in politics, they can leave studies and join politics. He can join any political party. His favourite party is now in single digit in the Parliament. Let him join that party. Let him not use the grab of students and students union to take up the cause of Afzal guru, Yakub Memon and Maqbool Bhatt. All these three people are anti-nationals,” he added.
Kanhaiya, who was released last evening after being granted a six-month interim bail by the Delhi High Court, led a scathing attack on the BJP-led NDA regime at the Centre.
"I am not asking for freedom from India, I am asking for freedom in India," he said.
"I have many differences with the Prime Minister but I agree with his tweet - Satyameva Jayate. I also say Satyameva Jayate, the truth shall triumph, because it belongs to the country and the Constitution,” he added.
The 28-year-old said that he saluted the soldiers guarding the country.
“But the soldiers, who die at the border are the sons and brothers of those who die within the country," he said, while referring to the farmer suicides.
Kanhaiya further said the crackdown on JNU was planned because the university students spoke out against the death of Hyderabad University research scholar Rohith Vemula.
“This attack is to de-legitimise the UGC protest and to prevent justice to Rohith Vemula. The fight which was initiated by Rohith Vemula, all of you and peace-loving people in the country, will be pursued by us and we'll win this battle," he said.
"I would like to thank everyone at the JNU. All the people , whether media, political people, non civil society , who stood for saving JNU and those who want justice for Rohith Vemula, I want to salute them," he added.
In a sarcastic tone, he said, "I want to thank the people sitting in Parliament deciding wrong and right, the police and those few media channels."