New Delhi: Expressing solidarity with those protesting against the amended citizenship act, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday visited Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh and said that the law was against the ideals of unity espoused by Mahatma Gandhi.
Tharoor also reached JNU and addressed the students, condemning the violence by a masked mob on January 5.
He said the December 15 police action against the students in Jamia is a “blot on the nation”.
"Whatever happened on December 15 is a blot on nation. Without any provocation, without any intimation to the vice-chancellor, they (police) entered hostels and attacked women students. Students studying in the library were attacked, which is a 'shame, shame, shame' and not acceptable at all," he told the crowd.
Tharoor said he did not want any section of society to be reduced to second class citizens. "We shall stand for the values we cherish and for the humanity, and above all, we should stand for Bharat (India)," he added.
Tharoor claimed the introduction of religion in CAA will be followed by the all-India NRC which puts the onus on one community to prove its citizenship.
"That is not the India that our founding fathers wanted to see, that is not the India that people in the Congress, including myself, will ever like to accept. We want an India where everyone is equal. It should not matter whether you are a Muslim or Hindu, a Christian or Sikh. If you are Indian, you have the same rights and same privileges," he said.
"Don't let anyone tell you that you have lesser rights than anyone else has in this country. You have the same rights as a Muslim or a Hindu or Christian. That is India, the Republic of India, the India of the Constitution," he said.
He said students studying in the university should always remember that Jamia was a seat of resistance to the British and Mahatma Gandhi came here and started the Khilafat Movement.
"You all should know that when Gandhi came here, he had said Jamia should continue fighting and if it needs money, I will go with a begging bowl and I will save Jamia. Today Jamia is one of the great universities of our country," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
