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Congress on Monday demanded that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley apologise for "insulting" the Indian academia with his remark at the London School of Economics (LSE) that "there is an alliance of subversion on Indian campuses".
Jaitley said this on Saturday in reference to last week's violence at Ramjas College of Delhi University.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram took a dig at Jaitley.
The Congress also accused the government of justifying the violence on the campus and said this was nothing but "fascist in nature".
At a media conference, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said:
Delivering a talk at the LSE on Saturday, Jaitley had said:
Jaitley's comment came days after violent clashes outside Ramjas College between activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad – the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's students wing – and the left-wing All India Students Association (AISA) on 22 February.
Tewari also said Jaitley's remarks reflected the deep-seated fear in the BJP that there was an instinctive alliance of subversion coming together.
That instinctive alliance of subversion is predicated on undermining the fascist principle, which is intrinsic to the BJP. That is the alliance which challenges their intolerance and their right to dominate the discourse which is making the government paranoid.
"The violence which took place in Ramjas College is absolutely abhorrent. What is more shocking, is the attempts made by seniors in the government to justify the violence.
Tewari later added:
Accusing the Modi government of joining forces with the Sangh Parivar to unleash assaults on Indian democracy, Tewari also said the assault on students and teachers by the ABVP activists at Ramjas College was part of a concerted effort by the right-wing forces.
"Therefore, time has come for all progressive, pluralistic and patriotic forces to come together and fight this relentless assault on Indian democracy by elements of the Sangh Parivar...(that) has complete and absolute backing of the government right up to the Prime Minister," said Tewari.
Earlier, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien had said that Modi was following on Twitter certain trolls who write "venomous, misogynist" stuff besides issuing "murderous threats".
The clashes at Ramjas between the two groups erupted after the ABVP forced cancellation of a seminar that was to be addressed by JNU student Umar Khalid. Khalid was jailed last year on sedition charges for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans.
Kaur posted a photo in social media, holding a placard saying "I am a student of Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me," with hashtag #studentsagainstabvp.
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