Bangalore: Some BJP workers created ruckus Wednesday at a college here while seeking support for the amended Citizenship Act by raising slogans like ‘Go back to Pakistan’ outside the campus Wednesday, as girl students opposed a pro-CAA banner on the wall of their institution.
A video of the incident went viral on the social media. A group of BJP workers, supporters of local party leader MM Govindaraj, had put up a poster “India Supports CAA” on the wall of Jyothi Nivas College near Koramangala.
This was opposed by girl students, who said they would not allow any such poster to be put up on the college property.
The BJP workers then tried to shout down the students. “You are not concernedabout the citizenship, you are concerned about yourself. You should be concerned about India first. You are not an Indian then,” a BJP worker is heard screaming at the girls in the video.
They also questioned the students if they had valid reasons to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act and sought to know whether they wanted an argument or a debate.
The BJP workers purportedly told the girls that they were only the students of the college and not the owner. “What’s your problem madam with the CAA? Are you the owner of the college?” they asked.
Amid the heated argument, the BJP workers resorted to sloganeering like “We want CAA” and “Go back to Pakistan”, as seen in another video shot by the students.
BTM Layout Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy visited the college Thursday after learning about the incident and spoke to its management.
Later, he told reporters that the campus should not be allowed for any political activities. “Any signature campaign whether in favour or against it (CAA) should be done outside the campus,” Reddy said.
He cautioned the pro-CAA protesters he will not let any violent incidents like the one at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi happen at the city college.
Reddy’s daughter Sowmya Reddy, who is the Jayanagar MLA, tweeted, “A few videos & photos of outside #JyotiNivascollege are being circulated on social media.”
“MLA Ramalinga Reddy & I have spoken to cops and the Prinicipal about this incident. Spoke to DCP South East Bengaluru and she said that Koramangala cops went there immediately & they are picketing even now,” she added.
PTI