BJP backs UAPA charges against students over anti-India sloganeering on university campus in Srinagar

Jammu: Senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday supported the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to invoke the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against some students accused of anti-India sloganeering on a university campus in Srinagar during the Cricket World Cup final.

India lost the match to Australia on November 19.

"We fully support the government's move to invoke UAPA in case of anti-India sloganeering by some students.... The dispensation cannot allow bids to incite revolts and rebellion," Gupta told reporters here.

The former deputy chief minister criticised Kashmir-based political parties, including the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, for supporting the accused students.

Gupta said the action of the accused students showed a disregard for the law of the land and posed an open challenge to the integrity and sovereignty of the country.

He called upon the government to take stern action against those involved in such anti-national activities.

He said the BJP "has consistently maintained that it will not tolerate any form of anti-India activity and is prepared to take tough measures to safeguard the nation's unity and integrity."

The students of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Kashmir were arrested after police launched an investigation into a complaint by a non-local student who alleged his college mates had harassed him and raised objectionable slogans after India lost the final match and the cup to Australia.