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Rediff.com  » News » BJP unapologetic about anti-Jamia ad

BJP unapologetic about anti-Jamia ad

November 18, 2008 16:47 IST
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The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday defended its decision to bring out an advertisement in a section of the media accusing the Jamia Millia University of spending its funds to defend terror suspects.

"There was nothing wrong in it. We have not said anything wrong," BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi V K Malhotra said replying to a question on the issue.

The Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday approached the Election Commission against the advertisement put out by the party.

Without naming anybody, Malhotra said those involved in terror attacks were being "glamourised" for vote-bank politics which is "very unfortunate".

"Terrorists are being glamourised for vote bank politics. They don't talk about sacrifice of the police official who laid his life for the country," Malhotra said.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami, Jamia Vice Chancellor Mushirul Hasan denied using any funds for defending terror accused and has said the advertisement was a "deliberate distortion of facts".

"Jamia has not spent a single paisa from its resources on the two students implicated in the Batla House incident," Hassan said in the letter.

The advertisement referring to the varsity was "based on false information," Hassan said in his letter.

Earlier, the varsity had established a special fund, raised through the money donated by students and faculty, for providing legal aid to two of its students -- Zia-ur-Rehman and Mohammad Shakil -- who were arrested by Delhi Police in connection with September 13 serial blasts in the capital.

The arrests had come close on the heels of Batla House encounter in the close vicinity of the institution.

The decision to extend legal help was taken as it felt it was their "moral obligation" to protect its students until they are proved guilty, the varsity had said.

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