From Rohith Vemula to Rahul Gandhi, everyone who raises an opinion against suppressing of opinion by the Modi government is branded anti-national," Surjewala said.
Congress was unfazed by the sedition case filed against party Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Telangana as it declared that it will determinedly remain the "torch-bearer against oppression and suppression" by BJP. Party chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala also alleged that anybody who speaks out against suppression of opinion by the Narendra Modi government is branded "anti-national". "Sadly, BJP and its allies want to suppress every voice that speaks against their repressive anti-Dalit and anti-poor policies.
"From Rohith Vemula to Rahul Gandhi, everyone who raises an opinion against suppressing of opinion by the Modi government is branded anti-national," Surjewala said in a statement. Congress and the youth of India will not be deterred and speak up for the underprivileged and students in the face of "cowardly attempts" by the Modi government "drunk with arrogance of power".
"Rahulji and Congress will determinedly remain the torch- bearers against oppression and suppression being vindictively pursued by BJP," he said. Rahul, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury are among nine persons who have been booked on sedition charges in connection with the JNU row by Hyderabad police. Yechury termed the development a "political move" which would not be possible without the NDA government's sanction.
"This is a political move by RSS-BJP. This could not have happened without the government's sanction. The matter will be taken up politically and legally," Yechury said.
An FIR has been registered against Rahul, Kejriwal, Yechury, Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Ajay Maken, CPI leader D Raja, JD(U) Spokesperson KC Tyagi, JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and JNU research scholar Umar Khalid on the order of a Hyderabad court based on a complaint filed by a lawyer, Janardhan Goud.
Goud had filed a complaint in the court of a Metropolitan Magistrate on Thursday seeking a direction to police for registration of a case against Kanhaiya and Khalid for allegedly raising anti-India and pro-Afzal Guru slogans on JNU campus. In his petition, Goud said he had every right to question those engaging in anti-national activities and also those encouraging anti-nationals facing sedition charges. "Being a tax payer of this country, I have every right to question them who are indulging in anti-national activity and also who are encouraging anti-nationals in the name of solidarity for those who are facing criminal charges under sections of sedition under the IPC," Petitioner Janardhan Goud told ANI.
The Delhi High Court is likely to resume hearing on a bail plea of Kanhaiya tomorrow. Kanhaiya was arrested on the sedition charges for allegedly raising anti-national slogans on the university campus. The police had earlier interrogated four JNU students -Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and Ashutosh Kumar - in this connection.
"It is a court referred case related to JNU, Dedlhi. Based on the directive of the court, a case has been registered yesterday against nine persons, including Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Sitaram Yechury, JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and others on charges of sedition under Section 124(A) of IPC," DCP, LB Nagar, Tafseer Iqubal, said. "It may be forwarded to the concerned police station in Delhi. We are in the process of taking legal opinion with regard to the jurisdiction," he said.
The court has posted the matter for hearing on March 4. In his petition, Goud said Rahul and other leaders, despite being aware that Delhi Police had registered a case against Kanhaiya on charge of sedition had visited JNU campus and knowingly supported them and hence it "amounted to sedition".
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