Chidambaram condemns attack on JNU students, calls NRC a sinister plan

Former Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram lashed out on Delhi Police and the government for the violence against students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) by unidentified assailants.

Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Monday held Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik answerable to the violence unleashed against students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University by a masked mob yesterday evening.

Speaking to the media, Chidambaram said Patnaik and Home Minister Amit Shah should explain to the people and the injured students how such a mob was allowed to roam free and unfettered in the university campus, attacking people at will and in a targeted fashion. He demanded the culprits should be identified as soon as possible. They should be arrested and justice must be given to the students injured in the melee.

Along with this, the former home minister described the JNU violence as a descent into fascism and said there surely were intelligence inputs on Sunday’s attacks. Chidambaram questioned why the Delhi Police commissioner didn’t reach the campus despite TV channels covering the attacks on the students.

Home Minister Amit Shah has since called for a meeting with JNU students via the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. Police have lodged a case against unnamed people for the wanton destruction.

In the press conference, Chidambaram said the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was a sinister and mischievous plan to divide the country. He denied that the National Population Register 2010 had anything to do with the NPR 2020 put forward by the NDA government. Several BJP leaders have been trying to assuage the people that their NPR 2020 is a continuation of the Congress’ NPR in 2010. Not many have been convinced though.

Earlier on Saturday, Chidambaram had said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre is taking all the wrong steps to boost the growth of India and doesn’t have any clue on how to tackle problems facing the country.

Also Read: Anti-CAA protest: Delhi Police asks Shaheen Bagh protesters to end their 21-day protest