Amid a billowing political controversy over police action against Jawaharlal Nehru University students, the BJP on Tuesday said the government was not fighting students but "anti-national" forces.
"The fight is not between the government and the students, but between the nation and the anti-national forces," asserted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman M.J. Akbar.
The BJP's defence of action in the JNU events came a day after several mediapersons were attacked inside a Delhi court complex by people in lawyers' robes.
“The students did not raise just one anti-India slogan on the JNU campus but many such slogans. The constitution guarantees freedom of speech, but such freedom does not mean people can support secession,” Akbar said.
Rrally at JNU against 'anti-national' elements
Scores of people protested outside the JNU campus to demand the arrest of those who shouted anti-India slogans at an event on the campus last week.
The protestors also demanded the shutdown of what they said was "anti-national" administration of the varsity.
Carrying saffron flags and shouting slogans like 'JNU prashasan bandh karo (Shut down JNU administration)', the protestors said those who raised anti-India slogans at an event organised on February 9 to commemorate the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru should be arrested.
"Arrest those ant-national elements," shouted one of the protestors as he tried to break through a barricade at the university entrance.
"Our protest is in favour of the nation," he added.
The protestors also shouted "Goli maaro in desh drohiyon ko (Shoot these anti-national elements)".
The demonstration follows a series of protests held by JNU students against the arrest of their students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, booked on sedition charge for allegedly raising anti-India and pro-Afzal Guru slogans on the campus.
