Mamata condemns assault on JNU students

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday condemned the assault on students and teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) inside its campus in New Delhi, terming it a "heinous act" and a shame on democracy.

A four-member Trinamool Congress delegation will visit the JNU campus to express solidarity with students and teachers, she said.

"We strongly condemn brutality unleashed against students/teachers in JNU. No words enough to describe such heinous acts. A shame on our democracy," Banerjee, also the TMC supremo, said in a tweet.

A Trinamool Congress delegation consisting of Dinesh Trivedi and party MPs Sajda Ahmed, Manas Bhunia and Vivek Gupta is going to New Delhi to voice solidarity with the attacked students and teachers.

Violence broke out at JNU on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks attacked students and teachers and damaged properties on the campus, prompting the administration to call in the police. At least 18 people including JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh were injured.

The Left-controlled JNUSU and the ABVP blamed each other for the violence.

Meanwhile, the Students Federation of India on Sunday said it will take out rallies here on Monday to protest against the "barbaric attack" on students inside the JNU campus.

The rallies will be organised in the Jadavpur University and the Presidency University, said leaders of the SFI, the student's wing of the CPI(M).

Students will take out a protest rally within the campus in protest against the 'Fascist' attack, said Debraj Debnath, JU unit leader of the SFI.

"We will also decide if protests will be held outside the campus and our future course of action against the ABVP and saffron forces," said Debnath who is also the university's Arts Faculty Students Union general secretary.

An SFI leader of the Presidency University also said students will gather at the varsity's portico on Monday and take out a protest rally.

"We will intensify our movement against the BJP and ABVP and give a call to boycott them," he said.

The JUTA and All Bengal University Teachers' Association also issued statements condemning the attack on students of the JNU and alleged attempts to muzzle the voice of dissent.