CPI leader D. Raja on Sunday defended his daughter, an AISF leader, whose name figures in the list of JNU students accused of raising anti-India slogans, and hit out at political rivals for making “irrational and baseless” allegations in this regard.
The CPI national secretary also dismissed charges that opposition parties are seeking political gain out of the situation at the JNU and claimed that the Left Front and the Congress are “extremely concerned” over the developments at the varsity and fighting to protect its interest.
“I know my daughter better than anybody else. She is a leader of All India Students’ Federation (AISF). And anyone who knows history of AISF, its ideology and politics, they will never make such baseless, irrational, absurd allegations,” Mr. Raja said.
The Rajya Sabha member countered allegations by the BJP that opposition parties are seeking gains out of the situation at JNU, saying the Left Front and the Congress are fighting to ensure the JNU remains as “one of the best” universities in the country.
“It is not that we are trying to take advantage. In fact, we are extremely concerned in the interest of JNU, (we want) to protect it and see it continues as one of the best universities and centres of excellence in the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Raja expressed doubts if the varsity authorities were allegedly allowing Delhi Police to raid the campus “as per their will”.
“JNU is one of the best universities in the country. Now it has become some kind of police camp. Delhi Police has been asked to raid it at anytime at their will. I don’t know if the university authorities have willingly allowed police to do such things,” he said.
The BJP had on Saturday accused the Congress and other opposition parties that they were targeting the Narendra Modi government over the JNU issue due to their “political malice” and vote bank politics.
