Rahul Gandhi today hit out at the BJP for the lathicharge on BHU students. (File photo)
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today hit out at the BJP for the lathicharge on woman students of Banaras Hindu University on Saturday.
"BJP version of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao in BHU," Mr Gandhi tweeted, attaching a video link of the students who alleged that they were beaten up by male policemen at the campus.
Last night, two policemen were filmed
raining blows on a woman student during a protest on the campus against an alleged eve-teasing incident.
The incident has drawn sharp reaction from the opposition. "We will raise the issue in Parliament... It is intolerable in a democracy and the government should apologise," senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said, adding such an incident has never happened at BHU.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered an inquiry and asked the Varanasi commissioner to submit a report. BHU Vice Chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi has promised action and said installation of CCTV cameras is under process.
Clashes broke out last night between police and protesting BHU students.
The students claim that the police used force without any provocation. The also alleged that the policemen even tried to enter the women's hostel.
The police have claimed that they were provoked into using batons. Government sources told NDTV that outside elements had joined the protest and they attacked the police, forcing them to use force. The women, they said, got caught in the violence, during which at least three motorcycles were set on fire.
The college, too, called the protest politically motivated. "80 per cent of the protesters are outsiders," said a spokesperson of the college.
The incident took place a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Varanasi, which is his Lok Sabha constituency.