'Feudalistic' Congress trying to divide Hyderabad University on caste basis: BJP

Hitting back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his unwarranted criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over PhD scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said that the 'feudalistic' grand old party was attempting to divide the Hyderabad University on the basis of caste and religion.

"Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have now become a party of sad and distressed dreams. The Congress has been playing this role since ages. They have been trying to divide the nation on the basis of religion and caste and this very 'feudalistic' thinking has taken them to such levels," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told ANI.

"They are trying to divide the educational campus, which should be a center to promote knowledge and nation building, on the basis of caste and religion. This only indicates that they have become disheartened after the defeat and have now adopted a feudalistic ideology," he added.

Gandhi, who sat on a fast yesterday along with the protesting students at the Hyderabad University, alleged that Prime Minister Modi was trying to crush the spirit of Indian youngsters by imposing one idea from on top.

Addressing the protesting students at the university, he said, "When you let what has happened to Rohith happen in the country, it will happen to you one day, no matter who you are. You will one day find that the same people, who crushed Rohith, will be blocking your path to freedom, to progress."

The students have been agitating after Rohith, a PhD student at the university, committed suicide by hanging himself.

Rohith and five other students were suspended by the university in connection with an alleged attack on an ABVP leader.