Echoes of Germany moving towards Nazi rule: Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee on JNU violence
New Delhi/IBNS: Expressing concern over Sunday's attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and teachers, Nobel Laureate economist Abhijit Banerjee said he could hear in the attack the echoes of the years when Germany moved towards the Nazi rule.
"I think any Indian who cares about the nation’s image in the world should worry. This has too many echoes of the years when Germany was moving towards Nazi rule," Banerjee, a JNU alumnus, told News 18.
Through his words, Banerjee compared the present Indian political system with Hitler's dictatorial regime in Germany when the country was transformed into a totalitarian state.
About 20 odd people including JNU Students' Union Aishe Ghosh and Professor Sucharita Sen were injured after a huge number of people armed with sticks, rods and sledgehammers barged into the university campus, girls' hostel and carried out an attack at a time the students were protesting against the fee-hike.
Reacting to the university Registrar's comment where he blamed the students for protesting against the fee-hike, Banerjee said the media, "The government needs to actually establish the truth of what happened and not let it get drowned in the chorus of counter accusations."
"I am really concerned about those who were injured. I wish everyone injured a speedy recovery," he added.
While the Left- which the rules the JNU Students' Union- blamed the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for the attack, the latter alleged the violence was carried out by the Leftists only.
ABVP is the students' wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which is the parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Meanwhile, Hindu Raksha Dal has claimed responsibility for the attack and also warned all universities of similar assaults if they carry out "anti-national activities".
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