JNU row: Congress, fact-finding team visits university

A four-member fact-finding team of Congress led by former Lok Sabha member Sushmita Dev on Wednesday visited Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, which was attacked by masked persons on Sunday night, that had left dozens of students and teachers injured.

Besides Dev, the fact-finding team has Rajya Sabha member Syed Nasir Hussain, Lok Sabha member Hibi Eden and former NSUI President Amrita Dhawan as members.

The Congress leaders interacted with students and also visited the Sabarmati Hostel, which was damaged severely in Sunday's attack. They expressed shock at the destruction of the hostel rooms, took pictures of the damaged property and made detailed notes of their visit and interaction.

“The situation is grim and we will submit the report to Congress President,” Hussain said.

Separately, DMK Lok Sabha member Kanimozhi also visited the JNU campus and met the JNU Students Union President Aishe Ghosh and expressed solidarity with the students.

Even as the fact-finding team visited JNU, Congress stepped up attack on the varsity's vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and called for his resignation.

“The VC of JNU wants students to 'put the past behind'. He should follow his advice. He is the past. He should leave JNU,” senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said.

Congress also slammed Home Minister Amit Shah for the failure of the Delhi Police to arrest the perpetrators of the attack and registering an FIR against the JNUSU President.

“This is the new normal. The FIR would be against the victim and not the perpetrators of the crime,” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters here.

“When Home Minister Amit Shah acts in a manner, which is divisive, which tries to provoke one group against the other, which is unfair, unjust, what else do you expect the Delhi Police to do? They are just carrying orders,” Khera said.