The situation in JNU is not encouraging at all, Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has alleged there were forces within the Jawaharlal Nehru University "waging a war" against India and they are have often been seen with elected representatives of the university's students union.
Her comment come days after candidates backed by Left groups won all four key posts in the JNU Students Union elections. Clashes broke out between members of the RSS-backed Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Left-affiliated All India Students Association (AISA).
"There are forces which are waging a war against India and it is they who are also seen with elected representatives of students union. That makes me feel uneasy," she said.
Ms Sitharaman, an alumnus of JNU, was asked about developments in the university, during an interaction at the Indian Women Press Corps.
"Things which have happened in the last few years (in JNU) are not really encouraging at all. It is very different to have a party whose ideology you may not agree with. But the way in which they were probably got led by forces which are anti-India," she said.
"They are waging a war against India, say pamphlets. Their brochures say that. Such people leading the JNUSU or JNUSU members openly participating with such forces, you do not need to hesitate to say anti-India, therefore," she said.
JNU was all over the news in 2016 after it was alleged that anti-India slogans were raised during an event. A panel had recommended rustication of Umar Khalid and two other students. A fine was imposed on Kanhaiya Kumar, the then students' union president, in connection with the campus event.