'Congress misusing educational institutions for political interests'

New Delhi: Accusing Congress and "some other parties" of misusing educational institutions for political interests, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday claimed the fight over an "anti-national" event at JNU is between "Break India and Build India".
Addressing a BJP protest at Jantar Mantar here against alleged anti-national slogans raised at Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU) campus, Naqvi said "anti-national activities by students at JNU and some other places is a conspiracy to malign India's global image."
He alleged that after having failed to misguide people over the "so-called issue of intolerance", Congress and some other political parties are now misusing educational institutes for their narrow political interests.
According to a press release issued here, Naqvi claimed that efforts had been made earlier to harm India's global image by raising the so-called intolerance issue and staging "award return drama" during India-Africa Forum Summit.
"Now, same efforts to malign India's image are being done by some anti-national elements. They want to create hurdle in the way of nation's progress and employment for youth," the Minister of State for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs said.
He said the events at JNU and some other places are a fight between "Break India" and "Build India". JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in a sedition case after an event was held on February 9 to protest the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
The arrest sparked massive outrage among students and criticism from non-BJP parties.
Slamming opposition parties, Naqvi said it is "unfortunate" that some of them are supporting and defending anti-national elements.
Educational institutions, he said, should be kept away from caste, community, religion and politics.
The minister asserted that fundamental rights including freedom of speech and expression are absolutely safe under the NDA government but anti-national activities cannot be allowed.
He asked whether freedom of speech constituted "making slogans in favour of terrorist Afzal Guru" in whose case all legal procedures were followed.
"Whether supporting anti-national activities and anti-national elements is not sedition? Whether demanding 'freedom' of Kashmir, an integral part of India, is not sedition? Whether making slogans such as 'Bharat ki barbadi tak jang rahegi jari' (revolution till India is ruined) is not sedition? Are these activities not anti-national?" he asked.
Naqvi said political parties who are defending such anti-national elements should apologise.