BJP president Amit Shah accused the Congress vice president of supporting divisive forces for votes. (File photo)
Highlights
- BJP Chief accuses Rahul Gandhi of backing anti-national forces for votes
- 'Do you support anti-national slogans?': Amit Shah questions Rahul Gandhi
- Gandhi backed protests against arrest of 3 JNU students held for sedition
The ruling BJP's fight-back on the JNU controversy today swirled around Rahul Gandhi, with the party's leaders targeting him both in Parliament and outside.
BJP president Amit Shah accused the Congress vice president of supporting divisive forces for votes. "I want to him to clarify before the country, does he support anti-national slogans? And if he condemns them, he should have the courage to say it and not stoop so low for vote-bank politics."
Mr Gandhi and his Congress have come out in support of students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University or JNU who are protesting against the arrest of their comrades on sedition charges over an event in support of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2013.
Three students have been arrested and three more are wanted by the police for their alleged role in the event where anti-India slogans were raised.
"I specially want to ask Congress and its workers whether those raising slogans like 'Afzal Guru tere hatyare zinda hain (Afzal Guru your killers are alive)' and 'Bharat ke tukde honge (India will be divided)' were traitors or not," Mr Shah said at a public meeting at Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh.
In Delhi, BJP parliamentarian Anurag Thakur repeatedly referred to Rahul Gandhi as he attacked the opposition during a debate in Parliament on the JNU controversy. "I want to ask Congress President Sonia Gandhi whether Afzal Guru was a terrorist or not. Why was Rahul Gandhi standing with those people...who were supporting him? You can't run away from this question," he said in the Lok Sabha.
"JNU has the name of Jawaharlal Nehru. He got the chance to become PM. The country gave many opportunities to your family. But a family member goes there and sits with anti-India forces. I feel sad," Mr Thakur said.
Hours before the debate, Rahul Gandhi told reporters that the government would not let him speak.
"They are scared of what I will speak in Parliament. So they will not let me speak," he said.
On Tuesday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told his party to "go aggressive" on the JNU debate in Parliament.