Opposition today used JNU incident and suicide by Dalit student in Hyderabad University to castigate the government in Rajya Sabha, accusing it of trying to suppress dissent and impose their idea of a "theocratic, fascistic Hindu Rashtra" on the country.
The main opposition Congress condemned the anti-India slogans made in JNU but cautioned that holding innocent people for the crimes of others as "part of a pick-and-choose" policy could have very dangerous consequences.
Participating in a debate on the JNU row, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned whether action should not be taken against media organisations which had run videos which were apparently misleading.
Asserting that his party was for punishing the guilty, he said it appeared that somebody had shouted slogans but videos appeared to be implicating someone else.
He said action should be taken, even if such a media organisation is close to a party. Action shoould be taken and case of sedition filed against those who tried to create divisions, whether it is a channel person or anybody, he said.
Referring to a reported resignation by a TV channel employee, Azad asked whether such media organisations divide the country as per news which suits them.
He also accused the BJP of shielding its MLA and lawyers affliliated with the party, who allegedly induldged in violence in Patiala House court premises.
Azad also claimed that BJP was on a weak wicket vis-a-vis Congress on the issue of nationalism as his party has a long and illustrious history. "Those who live in glass houses don't throw stones at others," he said.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said an effort was being made to metamorphosise India, a secular democratic republic, into a "theocratic, fascist Hindu Rashtra".
"Please do not castigate the entire student community and the institutions," and "stop this tirade for advancing your brand of nationalism", he said and termed the government's "interference" in some univerisities as "illegal".
Claiming that BJP was exhibiting its love for nationalism like a neo convert does for his new religion, Azad said the governemt could hold a debate on nationalism in this session.
He also suggested formation of a House Committee chaired by an opposition party leader to look in to the functioning of Universities, which he claimed were being divided by ABVP's activities.
The Congress leader also claimed that University of Hyderabad scholar Rohith Vemula was forced to commit suicide blaming youth wing of the party which is ABVP.
He said for Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi, love for the country flows in their blood as his father, grandfather and others have made sacrifices for the country.
"In the name of nationalism, there is an attempt to divide people," he said.
Javed Ali Khan (SP) said it was not for the first time
that anti-national slogans have been raised in the country and referred to Kashmir where such instances keep happening.
Taking a pot shot at the ruling party, he said it would be easy for them to identify anti-national people if they looked at participants in rallies organised by its allies.
"We also love our country," he said. He said the BJP's idea of nation is not in line with Constitution. "Your notion is of Hindu Nation," said Khan.
Condemning divisive slogans raised by some people in JNU, he said pictures of some ABVP members raising anti-national slogans too are circulating in media and should be probed.
He further said that Kanhiya Kumar, arrested in the JNU case, had spoken against capitalism, communalism and sanghwad.
"He wanted to create a front of dalits, minorities, backwards...And that is why BJP was afraid of him," Khan said.
K C Tyagi (JD-U) said representation of dalit community should be increased in judiciary.
When he talked about views of M S Golwalkar, the second chief of RSS on the national flag, BJP members raised objection and wanted him to authenticate the documents he was quoting from.
To one of his remarks, Irani asked him to take back his words, insisting that she had never called anyone castest.
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) raised the issue of Vemula's death and the incident establishes that bright scholars belonging to dalit community were not safe.
On JNU, he asked why permission was given to organise the event. He also said it was "extremely deplorable" why no preventive action was taken either by the government or university authorities.
Without naming anyone, he said there is "rat race" among some political parties to support or not support the incident for political benefits.
Stressing that his party condemns anti-national activity or slogans, he said at the same time innocents should not be branded anti-national.
Roy also talked about violence at Patiala House Court and "doctored" videos related to JNU incident. He also demanded re-look at the section on sedation in the IPC to stop its misuse.
