Anand Sharma says he was attacked physically by ABVP activists

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma tonight alleged that he was attacked physically by ABVP activists in JNU campus when he was returning with Rahul Gandhi after attending a protest meeting held by students there.
Sharma, Deputy Leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha, told PTI that the SPG had to take Gandhi out by an alternate vehicle as the alleged attackers had surrounded the vehicle of the Congress Vice President as well.
The "attack" took place some distance away from the place where the meeting was held at the varsity campus with the ABVP activists using "cover of the darkness," he claimed.

"There was a bleeding from my left ear following the attack and I also suffered some cuts," Sharma said, adding his personal security officer too was "pushed from behind" by the attackers.
The former Union Minister said he was a "few steps" behind Gandhi.
He said his PSO has lodged a complaint with police.

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Meanwhile, the Congress termed the alleged attack, which it said was carried out by a "sharp weapon", as a "black day" in country's democracy.
"This is a black day for India's democracy when Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha was publicly attacked with a sharp weapon by government-protected activists. We condemn the attack in strongest possible terms," AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

He alleged that ABVP activists "reflect the frame of mind of the Modi-government," who want to siphon off the voice and take away civil rights of students.
He asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah to take against the culprits and also give an explanation on the attack, as law and order is the responsibilities of the government and Delhi Police.
"Prime Minister and BJP President owe an explaination...We want to ask the Prime Minister whether law and order is not his and Delhi Police's responsibility," he said.
"Will Prime Minister now take action against those goons and hooligans...Will Modi take action against Delhi Police who failed to protect and provide security.

"Is this the intolerance that is in the mind of the government and BJP, by which, if you disagree with BJP, either you will be branded as anti-national or you will be physically attacked and bodily harmed caused to you," he said.
Meanwhile, ABVP rubbished the allegations, saying its members did not indulge in any such activities.
"They were peacefully registering their protest against the presence of politicians on the campus which has politicised the whole issue," ABVP leader and JNUSU Joint Secretary Saurabh Kumar Sharma said.