Nationalism a bad word only in India: Arun Jaitley

Varanasi: Referring to the recent unrest on the campus of Ramjas College in Delhi University, where AISA and ABVP students clashed with each other, Union Finance Minsiter Arun Jaitley on Thursday said nationalism is a bad word only in India.

"Nationalism is a good word, ye toh kewal iss desh mein hai ki rashtravad bura shabd hai," he said according to ANI.

A few other politicians have also made themselves heard in ongoing debate on nationalism against free speech.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had jumped in to support student group ABVP, saying, “I support freedom of expression within legal restrictions.”

Left leader Sitaram Yechury retorted to Parrikar’s remarks, saying “What defines legal restrictions of the Defence Minister? His whims and fancies? Restrictions are defined by our constitution.”

Also, Haryana’s outspoken Minister Vij had on Wednesday said those who are supporting Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur for her campaign against the ABVP, were pro-Pakistan and should be thrown out of the country.

"It is very wrong and condemnable that Gurmehar has tried to do politics over her father's martyrdom," Vij, a five-time MLA, told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing state Assembly session.

Jaitley also accused the Congress of spreading lies on the government's demonetisation drive and said that it did not have any impact on the economy's growth rate.

Addressing a press conference in Varanasi, Jaitley hailed the Central Government's demonetisation move, saying this had won the confidence of many people.

Throwing light on the current GDP rate, the Finance Minister asserted that the opposition was spreading lies about demonetisation.

Commenting on the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the senior BJP leader said, "Once the party attains victory in UP polls then this will prove that people have accepted PM Modi's demonetisation drive."

Varanasi goes to polls in the last of the seven-phase assembly election in Uttar Pradesh on March 8.

Uttar Pradesh is voting in seven phases, four of which is completed. Counting of votes will take place on March 11.