Talks of disintegration in garb of freedom of speech not tolerable: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Amid the rising political brouhaha over the violent students clashes in Ramjas College, BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday warned that talks of the country's disintegration in the garb of freedom of speech will not be tolerated.

"We fully support freedom of expression but in the name of that, can a movement to disintegrate the country be allowed? Those who are now arguing about freedom of speech, I want to ask them do they raise their voice when terrorists kill people, when our security forces are killed? Have they ever spoken about them?" asked Prasad.

Referring to slain Army officer's daughter Gurmehar Kaur who launched a social media campaign against the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Prasad questioned those who were indulging in politics in her name.

"Her father was killed while fighting the terrorists. Those who are playing politics in her name now, I want to ask them where were they when the terrorists killed her father," said Prasad.

Kaur launched her social media campaign in the aftermath of the February 22 violence at Delhi University's Ramjas College where ABVP activists allegedly attacked students, teachers and journalists in the campus.

ABVP activists on February 21 had forced Ramjas College to cancel a seminar to be addressed by JNU student Umar Khalid who was charged with sedition last year.

"In the garb of freedom of speech, talks of disintegrating cannot not be tolerated. The Constitution guarantees freedom of speech but it doesn't allow attempts to break the country," added the Law Minister.

--IANS

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