'Don't need certificate of nationalism from BJP or RSS': CPI

Communist Party of India (CPI) minority wing leader Ameeq Jamei, who was roughed up by Vishwas Nagar MLA O.P. Sharma outside a Delhi court yesterday for allegedly raising anti-India slogans, on Tuesday said his party does not need a certificate of nationalism from the BJP or RSS.

Jamei said the incident took place when Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was present in the court for the hearing in a defamation case.

"The entire incident took place when Mr. Arun Jaitley was present. We were briefing the media about the attack on journalists and students in the court. We were questioning Jaitley's silence when O.P. Sharma, who is known for attacking people, chased me and pushed me to the ground," he told ANI.

"We believe in law of the land, we believe in democracy. But these people while beating me up said that we had caused a lot of trouble over Rohith Vemula's death. These RSS, BJP people took the side of British during the freedom struggle; we do not need any certificate from them," he added.

Jamei further said that he has filed a complaint against the BJP MLA at the Tilak Marg Police Station in the national capital.

Around 12 persons, including JNU students, teachers and journalists were attacked by a group of men in lawyer's robes inside and outside the Patiala House court yesterday, where the sedition case against JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar was to be heard.