Rahul Gandhi on BHU crackdown: ‘BJP version of beti bachao, beti padhao’

Students leave the BHU women’s hostel on Sunday. (Source: Express Photo/Annad Singh)

The Congress on Sunday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government and the Banaras Hindu University administration after students were lathicharged the previous night. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s office tweeted, “BJP Version of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao in BHU” along with a news report on the incident.

Several Congress leaders, including its state chief Raj Babbar, were detained near Gillet Bazaar area under Shivpur Police Station on Sunday afternoon as they headed for BHU. They then sat on a dharna. Babbar said the previous night’s incident, at a time when the Prime Minister and Chief Minister were in Varanasi, exposed the government’s claim of providing security and respect to women and termed it “unfortunte and condemnable”. Babbar also alleged negligence on behalf of vice-chancellor of the University and demanded his expulsion.

“It is a black chapter in the history of democracy, where students, including girls, were beaten for raising their voice,” said Onkar Nath Singh, party spokesperson. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party has decided to send a delegation to Varanasi to meet victims of the lathicharge on Monday. The eight-member delegation will submit a report to party president Akhilesh Yadav.

Condemning the crackdown on students, former CM and SP president Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, “Bal se nahin batcheet se hal nikale sarkar. (The government should seek a solution through dialogue, not force.)”