JNU row: Rahul Gandhi draws BJP's wrath, more attacks on Congress V-P in offing

NEW DELHI: Concerned over the growing activism of Congress V-P Rahul Gandhi, who has been visiting university campuses and raking up issues affecting the youth and the weaker sections, BJP and its government at the Centre have decided to counter his challenge beginning with the controversy in Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The reactions from home minister Rajnath Singh, followed by BJP president Amit Shah on the JNU issue were not made off the cuff, sources said. Singh’s remarks that "stringent action" must be taken against those who raised anti-India slogans in JNU came on the day Gandhi visited the campus and hit out at the NDA government.

Shah held a meeting of BJP office bearers on Sunday night where the strategy for fighting the growing attacks on nationalism was discussed.

This was followed by a blog on Monday from the BJP chief in which he said Gandhi was unable to distinguish between "pro-national and anti-national" and demanded an apology from him for supporting those who are opposed to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging.

Shah dragged the death of 10 soldiers in an avalanche in Siachen into this debate, when he asked in his blog if this is the way Gandhi is offering his tribute to those like Lance Naik Hanamanthappa who died defending the nation.

Singh’s junior minister Kiren Rijiju defended police action against JNU protestors. "We had credible inputs that indicate that Hafiz Saeed is backing all these kinds of activities and the home minister has put out a statements of facts."

BJP sources said more attacks on Gandhi are in the offing, not only because he has been raking up issues concerning the youth but also as he is seen as the main hurdle to government attempts to get important bills passed in the Rajya Sabha.

PM Modi had slammed the Congress first family in a public meeting in Assam on February 5 for "not letting Rajya Sabha function".