Nobody will accept BJP's definition of anti-nationalism: Congress
This comes in backdrop of the unrest prevailing in the Delhi University following disruptions at Ramjas College.
New Delhi: Coming down heavily at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah for saying that the saffron party will define anti-nationalism, the Congress Party on Wednesday said nobody would accept the definition.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said any attempt to redefine anti-nationalism would be resisted, adding that the nation and its citizens do not need a certificate from a party which is divisive, sectarian and regressive in its outlook to tell what nationalism is.
"India is a republic, democratic, multi-religious and a multi-lingual society. Nobody is going to accept but we can only reject any definition or certificate which is issued by those whose own credentials and commitment to the constitution has been suspected for long," he added.
Escalating his attack, the Congress leader said Amit Shah, BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have not been given a mandate by the country to redefine Indian nationalism.
"The Indian national movement had clearly decided what Indian nationalism is and those who believe in the mandate of the constitution, in the principles enunciated there under and subscribe to that can be termed as a true nationalist," he added.
Shah has said that the BJP would define anti-nationalism.
"When is there no violence? Violence amongst students is a common issue, but anti-national sloganeering in any college or university must not be tolerated," Shah said in an interview to an English news channel.
This comes in backdrop of the unrest prevailing in the Delhi University following disruption of an event themed ' Cultures of Protest' at Ramjas College.
A 'Tiranga' march was organised by the ABVP on Monday in order to invoke nationalist sentiments on the campus.
The students of Delhi University on Tuesday staged a protest against the ABVP at the SGTB Khalsa College in North Campus.
The said event was disrupted as it featured Umar Khalid, a student accused of anti-national sloganeering at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in February 2016.