Union minister and Lok Sabha member from Amethi, Smriti Irani, said on Monday that it was unfortunate that violence erupted on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in Delhi, adding that a centre of learning should not be made a battle ground of politics.
“Politics should not be done in JNU as it affects the students directly. I am sure that if politics ends in JNU, it would benefit the students there,” Irani said during her day-long visit to her parliamentary constituency, Amethi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader said that what happened on the JNU campus was unfortunate. “There are people, backed by opposition parties, who try to create disturbance. Such elements will be identified and punished,” she said.
“I am a firm believer that educational institutions should not be made ‘rajniti ka akhada’ (political battlefield) and students should not be used as political pawns. This affects the studies and also tarnishes the image of the educational institution,” Irani said.
At least 28 people were injured when masked men, armed with sticks and rods, attacked students and faculty members on the JNU campus on Sunday night. The anger against the attack soon spread to universities in Uttar Pradesh, forcing the state administration to issue a high alert.
When asked about the numerous death of infants within a month at a state-run hospital in Kota, Irani said that there could be some lapses on the part of the Rajasthan government.
“The state government and the medical officers in Rajasthan are not sincere towards their duties and hence such incidents are happening. Now Congress leaders of Rajasthan too are admitting that there were some lapses on their part due to which such large number of children died,” the BJP MP said, referring to the statement of Rajasthan’s Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.
On Monday, the Union minister inaugurated several new projects in her constituency, including a community centre at Fursatganj.