Don't give us lectures on patriotism: Congress to Shah

Responding to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah's anti-national charge, the Congress on Monday asked him not to give lectures on patriotism, adding that the grand old party will fight intolerance.

"We are going to fight this intolerance. We condemn anyone raising slogans against the nation. But BJP or any government cannot unleash police forces in the university. They give us sermons, we want to tell Amit Shah that don't give us lectures on patriotism," Congress leader P.C. Chacko said.

"A group of people in the garb of lawyers, who are sympathizers of the BJP thrashed the students, who were produced at the court. They were beaten up very badly. The lawyers were indulging in this rowdy behavior," he added.

Chacko further alleged that BJP MLA O.P. Sharma and a group of hooligans attacked the students and the journalists.

"This hooliganism is unleashed by the BJP. This is totally to misguide the people. We condemn this incident which happened in the Patiala House court today. This is led by BJP MLA O.P. Sharma," he said.

He condemned and rejected the statement made by Shah against party vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

"We all know what happened in Pune Institute, Hyderabad Central University and in JNU. The BJP cannot tolerate freedom of speech and independent opinion. This is nothing but the intolerance of the BJP," he added.

He further stated that the BJP and the RSS cannot tolerate anything which opposes their ideology.

"India is India today because of the Indian National Congress. India's integrity was kept by giving the blood and life of Indira ji,' he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah earlier today condemned the anti-national protests at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, saying such activities would not be tolerated in any part of the nation.

"These kinds of anti-national activities will not be tolerated in any part of the country.The Supreme Court had given capital punishment to Afzal Guru despite that slogans were raised in his support," said Shah.

Shah also used the occasion to target Rahul Gandhi.

"If the Congress wants to support this in the name of freedom of speech then I want to ask them that what more proof they require against anti-nationals," said Shah.

"Do they support the slogans 'har ghar me afzal honge', 'bharat tere tukkde honge'? The Congress must make their stand clear," he added.

The Congress vice-president had earlier on Saturday accused the BJP-led NDA Government of "suppressing" students' voice as he visited the JNU campus to express solidarity with them.

Gandhi, who interacted with the agitating students, lauded the university for representing free voice.

Drawing parallel between the actions against students in JNU and events leading to the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University, he said the question is why a student is "not allowed to say what he believes in".