JNU, Jamia students need our support, says Cong leader Shashi Tharoor
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Referring to the violence on the campuses of JNU and JMI, which left several teachers and students injured, Tharoor told ANI: "Jamia and JNU have both been sites of very shameful misbehaviour."
It is important to understand that students need our support, said Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Sunday while expressing solidarity with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI).
Referring to the violence on the campuses of JNU and JMI, which left several teachers and students injured, Tharoor told ANI: "Jamia and JNU have both been sites of very shameful misbehaviour."
"In Jamia, by the police themselves, who burst into the hostels and library, and seriously injured and even killed a couple of students, while in JNU, we saw the police standing idle nearby when thugs and goons entered the campus and attacked the students," he said.
Heartwarming to meet & address the courageous women of Shaheen Bagh whose resistance is now legendary. “Aap is sheher ki shaan hain, Bharat desh ki jaan hain” I told them in my address. pic.twitter.com/nPg467w46J
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 12, 2020
He objected to the manner in which the students had been dealt with, and said that dissent was very precious in the country, especially on university campuses.
"The people who have come into power are claiming that they are big heroes, but they are not showing respect to the students, which they felt they deserve themselves. It is important to understand that the students need our support, and we are here to show our solidarity," said Tharoor.
Message to JNU students awaiting me: Decided to give up battling the traffic near ShaheenBagh & have taken the metro instead to get to you. Will still be late, but not as late as if I’d stuck to four wheels! See you all soon! Looking forward to our interaction. pic.twitter.com/t68zW8Iqsp
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 12, 2020
Talking about Home Minister Amit Shah`s statement that the amended citizenship law does not take away the citizenship of any citizen, Tharoor said: "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) discriminates by imposing, for the first time, a religious test.
The Act says that there would be fast track citizenship for the people of only six religions, which is completely violative of Gandhi and our Constitution, and reflects different thinking than that of our freedom struggle.