A fringe rightwing group - Hindu Raksha Dal - on Tuesday claimed that it was behind the brutal attack on students and teachers at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Times of India reported.
The group blamed JNU for being a hotbed of what they termed “anti-national activities" in a video.
The video which was posted on social media on Monday shows a man identifying himself as saying that those who resort to “anti-national activities” will be treated in the same way that JNU students and faculty were.
Though it’s not known immediately whether the claim is to garner popularity or they were actually involved in the act, ANI news agency reported that Delhi Police is investigating the claim.
A mob, allegedly comprising members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s youth wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), armed with sticks and hammers, attacked students at hostels in JNU on Sunday evening, leading to injures to at least 34 people, including faculty members.
JNU professor quits govt panel
A JNU professor has resigned from an Indian government-appointed panel that was established to review the country’s economic statistical data, Scroll.in reported on Tuesday. CP Chandrasekhar, who is part of the university’s Centre for Economic Studies and Planning department, resigned on Monday, a day after masked assailant’s unleashed violence at the university.
“I was persuaded that this government is not concerned about the robustness of India’s statistical system,” he said. “The JNU’s incident on Sunday has further undermined the faith in the system. It shows that we are now living in a different world and it’s hard to work with a government in which you have lost faith.”
ABVP, NSUI clash in Ahmedabad
Members of the ABVP and its rival National Students' Union of India clashed on Tuesday during a protest against the JNU violence, leaving over 10 people injured.
The incident took place during the protest organized by NSUI, the students' wing of the Congress, outside the office of the ABVP in the city. The police later rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, PTI reported an official as saying.
In a video shared by ABP News, Nikhil Savani, a member of the NSUI is seen being beaten up in the clash while the local police tried to control the crowd.
Shiv Sena slams Modi
Against the backdrop of attack, once BJP-ally the Shiv Sena on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that what they wanted was happening, and said such "brutal politics" was never seen before in the country.
An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece “Saamana” further alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wanted to see "Hindu-Muslim riots" over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), but that did not happen. Since the BJP has been cornered over the issue of CAA, several things are happening out of "revenge," it said.
Controversy over Sunday's violence comes as a new challenge to the government as it confronts major nationwide protests against a new citizenship bill that critics say is anti-Muslim.
The unrest comes as nationwide protests continue against CAA passed in December that bars Muslims from a measure granting nationality to minorities from three neighbouring Islamic-majority countries.
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across the country, and more than 25 people have been killed.
Critics say the legislation goes against India's secular constitution, but Modi says the new law is intended to help "persecuted" minorities.
The street protests have further divided a country that gave Modi a landslide return to power in May last year.
Modi's opponents blame his policies for the country's sluggish economy and social unease.
