Cong attacks Centre over JNU row, Vemula suicide in its

New Delhi: Congress today attacked Modi government in the backdrop of JNU row and Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula suicide, saying that never before in the history of independent India has there been a government that is so “intolerant” to dissent.

In an editorial in the latest issue of the party’s journal ‘Congress Sandesh’, it said “anyone, be it political parties, groups of intellectuals, artists, youth, especially students, find themselves accused of being anti-national by the government.”

The youth, especially students, were “mesmerised” by Modi during the Lok Sabha election campaign through promises of booming economy and jobs. Now, the new definition of being a nationalist….is being a “follower” of RSS or pro-BJP, it said.

Referring to the JNU row, it said that instead of taking action against a handful of youths who had given adequate warning of their intentions by the pamphlets they distributed, the government chose to use this opportunity to “target” the university that has always been “opposed” to their ideology.