Ghulam Nabi Azad: Modi must rein in divisive elements in BJP

Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the JNU row, the Congress on Sunday alleged that he was “responsible” for the events as he had failed to rein-in his party members who have been issuing inflammatory and divisive statements since the BJP government came to power.

Terming the action against JNU students as “one-sided”, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Prime Minister cannot “pick and choose” and questioned why he did not firmly deal with divisive elements within BJP.

“During an all-party meet, I told the PM that whatever is happening in JNU or has happened in Hyderabad, who is responsible for that. I said, in front of him, that honourable Prime Minister if you do not take offence, it is you and your government that are responsible for that,” he told reporters here. Mr Azad said he told the Prime Minister that since the BJP came to power, ministers, party functionaries, MPs and even governors were issuing statements which lead to tension between Muslims and Hindus.

“So, I told him that we have been saying it inside Parliament as well as outside it that you say sabka saath sabka vikaas everywhere, but if your partymen, your governor, your ministers and your MPs issue statements of dividing the country, then somewhere you are involved in it. The head of the family has to decide whom to punish...” Mr Azad said.

When you will not punish anyone, like you have to drop or expel someone so that everyone will fall in line, when you do not do that, then you do not have any right over who raises slogans inside a university as your own party raises similar kind of slogans in other forms,” Mr Azad said.

“We condemn the slogans raised in JNU, whoever it is whether a Hindu or a Muslim who has raised them, but it is your (PM’s) responsibility because you did not rein in your party. So, if anyone else raises similar kind of slogans, you charge him with sedition but there is no action on your own people. This is one-sided. So, the Prime Minister and the government are responsible for this,” Mr Azad said.