Congress, BJP in war of words over JNU issue

The Congress and BJP war of words continued on Tuesday with the former accusing the ruling BJP of suppressing dissent.

Speaking to the media after an all party meeting convened here ahead of parliament's budget session, Congress's Ghulam Nabi Azad said that his party raised the issue of the government's undue intervention in university politics.

"We raised the issue of Rohith committing suicide in Hyderabad allegedly due to undue pressure put on him by the university administration," Azad said.

"Here in Delhi, JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar did not speak anything against the constitution or against the country's unity. But he has been booked for sedition," he added.

He, however, said the Congress was ready to cooperate for the smooth functioning of parliament in the budget session.

BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad, on the other hand, while defending the police action in the JNU, also subtly attacked the Congress on the Emergency.

"We are committed to press freedom and individual freedom. In fact, several ministers in the present cabinet have fought for press freedom and right to free speech during the Emergency days," Prasad said.

"But does this mean that we should allow blatantly anti-India slogans in a central university," he asked.