The Congress has convened on Saturday a meeting of its working committee, which is the highest decision-making body of the party, to discuss the ongoing student protests following violence in JNU and the nationwide agitation against the amended Citizenship Act.
Party leaders including general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former president Rahul Gandhi have been meeting the families of protesters who have been killed or injured during the agitations.
Ms. Vadra is also going to Varanasi on Friday to meet the students of Banaras Hindu University and other civil society members who were arrested for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The party on Wednesday slammed the government for filing an FIR against the JNU Students Union president Aishe Ghosh, who was attacked by a masked mob on Sunday night.
“The FIR in the JNU case has been registered against the victim and not the perpetrator of the crime, this is the new normal,” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters. He alleged that there is unrest and anger in the country and that every section of society feels disturbed and apprehensive.
“Be it the 45-year record high unemployment, price rise, unkept promises or arrogant attitude of the government, the result can be seen. There is anger and apprehension across the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, the party also sent a four-member fact-finding team to JNU to probe Sunday night’s incidents. The team comprising All India Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev, party MP from Ernakulam Hibi Eden, former NSUI president of JNU unit Syed Nasser Hussain and former NSUI president and ex-president of Delhi University Students Union Amrita Dhawan interacted with students on the issue. The team spent over nine hours at the campus. They visited the rooms that were attacked at Sabarmati Hostel and also had a meeting with JNU Teachers Association.
“We have spoken to the students, teachers and even those affiliated to the ABVP and right-wing organisations. We will be coming up with a factual report in a day or two. The students are still shaken and will bear the scars for a long time to come,” Mr. Eden told The Hindu .
