Clarify if anti-India slogans should be tolerated: Shah to Rahul Gandhi

Shah alleged that Rahul Gandhi was supporting the forces dividing the country for "votebank politics"

Raising the pitch on the JNU issue, BJP chief Amit Shah today said Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders should clarify in the Parliament if "anti-national" slogans should be tolerated in the name of freedom of speech.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi, who had joined the agitating JNU students, Shah alleged that he was supporting the forces dividing the country for "votebank politics."

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"Today the debate is being held in the Parliament on whether raising anti-national slogans should be tolerated in the name of freedom of speech or not. I specially want to ask Congress and its workers, whether those raising slogans like 'Afzal Guru tere hatrayre zinda hain' and 'Bharat ke tukde honge' were traitors or not," Shah said at a public meeting at the unveiling of the statue of 11th century king of Shravasti, Raja Suheldeo.

"I want that members of all parties sitting in the biggest panchayat of the country, which is the Parliament should clarify whether raising anti-national slogans was freedom of speech or sedition. This also has to be decided by the people of the country," he added.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Shah remarked, "I want to ask him to clarify before the people, whether he supports the anti-national slogans...If not, then he should condemn it."

"Rahulji don't stoop so low for votebank politics. The country got freedom due to the sacrifice of thousands of martyrs. You are supporting the forces dividing the country in the name of freedom of speech," he said

Rahul Gandhi has come out in support of JNU students, who are protesting the arrest of JNU Students' Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges, and has accused the RSS and BJP of imposing their ideology.

Describing the contribution of Raja Suheldeo, Shah said his name is taken with pride not only in Uttar Pradesh but the entire country.