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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan questioned why students “were indulging in traitorous activities” after students of Jyoti Nivas College in Bengaluru opposed BJP workers’ move to put up a pro-CAA poster outside their college.
The Deputy Chief Minister on Thursday spoke in support of the BJP Yuva Morcha cadre and said that they were “only spreading awareness about a new law”.
Speaking to the media, he said, “How can they say that awareness cannot be created about a law that has been enacted in this country? There is false propaganda that religious minorities and Muslims will be sent out of this country. Why are they trying to do things that will divide us...I request them to stop doing these traitorous activities (desh drohada kelasa). They were creating awareness about a law that has come into force. How can creating awareness be wrong? How can you say that we are against awareness?” he said.
He further defended the BJP Yuva Morcha workers saying that if students had a problem they should have gone to the police. “How can they question workers of a political party. Who gave them that right?” said the Deputy CM.
The incident took place at around 3 pm on Wednesday when a group of BJP workers stuck a pro-CAA banner on the college wall. The banner had the pictures of PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and Lok Sabha MP Tejasvi Surya. The BJP workers then insisted that the students and pedestrians sign the banner irrespective of their objections.
However, when a few students objected to the banner on the college wall, they were heckled and harassed by the the BJP workers, who called them “uneducated” and “anti-nationals”. According to a student, they were told to “Go to Pakistan”.
Videos of the incident which has since then got viral showed that the altercation had almost escalated to physical jostling between the BJP men and the female students. The police were eventually called in and they asked the BJP workers to leave.
Students of Jyoti Nivas College also held a protest on Thursday against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens following the incident.
Reacting to the incident, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lashed out against the BJP and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. “BJP goons are threatening students of Jyoti Nivas College to support CAA. Mr Yediyurappa, I am strictly warning you to control hooligans from your party. Don't subvert knowledge and institutions for your selfish motives. We won't let Karnataka to be victim of your Hitler rule!” Siddaramaiah said.