India / Attack on JNU students reminded me of 26/11 terror attacks: Maharashtra CM

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday amped up attacks on the BJP-led central government over the brutal assault against students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University, comparing the attacks by masked vandals armed with sticks and rod to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks when 10 terrorists had fired indiscriminately at people in 2008.

“The violence at JNU is a resounding reminder of the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai. ..Those who carried out these attacks, hiding their faces behind masks, are cowards. They must be identified, nabbed and punished for their crimes,” the chief minister told a Press conference at his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Bandra in Mumbai.

In response to the question whether he believes that this was a sponsored attack at JNU, the chief minister appeared to have adopted a wait and watch approach.

“It will become clear if this was a sponsored attack. Things will become clear one by one. It is the government’s job to investigate and take action,” he said, shortly after Congress president Sonia Gandhi issued a statement on the violence that blamed the ruling BJP government for the violence.

Reaching out to the students of Maharashtra, Thackeray assured them that such an incident will not happen in the state. He said, “This will not be tolerated in Maharashtra. What is happening elsewhere is inappropriate. No student from Maharashtra should be afraid.”

Thackeray said security in Maharashtra’s universities will be increased if the government notices that there is a need to do so.

“Everything will be done to ensure students in Maharashtra are safe. I assure them that they are safe. No one can touch even a single hair on their head. The law will stand by them and take strict action against law breakers,” he said.

The Sena leader called the violence at JNU on Sunday night a ‘blot on our country’.

“There is unrest among students now, because they feel unsafe. This is a blot on our country. No student should feel afraid, they are our future, and their thought process must be protected, nurtured and shaped. I am certain such violence will not be tolerated in our country either.”

Speaking about Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA), the Chief Minister said, “No one in Maharashtra has anything to worry about I have made it very clear. I will never let anything untoward happen in Maharashtra.”