"Are we with those people who encourage terrorism and who abuse India," he asked a convention of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of BJP. (File photo)
Highlights
- Minister VK Singh: Rohith Vemula held meet for blast convict Yakub Memon
- He targeted JNU student Kanhaiya Kumar for calling Rohith an inspiration
- Singh: Are we with people who encourage terrorism, abuse India?
Union Minister VK Singh today targeted JNU Student's Union president Kanhaiya Kumar for calling Rohith Vemula his inspiration, alleging that the Dalit scholar had organised a meeting in support of Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon.
"I read in newspapers today that a JNU student leader says that he does not draw inspiration from Afzal Guru but Rohith Vemula. I told myself that Rohith Vemula too had organised a meeting for Yakub Memon," Mr Singh said.
"Are we with those people who encourage terrorism and who abuse India," he asked a convention of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of BJP.
At a time when the BJP has been trying to play down the row over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula at the Hyderabad university, Mr Singh's remarks could fuel the controversy further as the minister questioned his "support" for Yakub Memon, who was hanged for his role in 1993 Mumbai blasts.
Kanhaiya Kumar, out on bail in a sedition case, had said yesterday that he considers Mr Vemula an inspiration and not Afzal Guru, the Parliament attack convict in whose support slogans were allegedly raised at a JNU event prompting the police action.
Mr Singh called upon the party workers to spread nationalism and tell people how to take the country ahead when "fissiparous forces" are at work.
The Minister of State for External Affairs also spoke at length about the Modi government's foreign policy and said the government had succeeded in strengthening its relations with many countries, including neighbours like Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.
Every country wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit it due to his popularity, he said.