We will crush intentions of Sharjeel Imam's 'offspring' in JNU, says Fadnavis

Nagpur, Jan 6 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the intentions of the "offspring" of Sharjeel Imam will be crushed, a comment coming in the wake of a controversy over a protest at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.

The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi broke out during widespread protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), leaving 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.

A protest at the JNU over the denial of bail to Khalid and Imam sparked a controversy as objectionable slogans targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were allegedly raised.

A purported video of the Monday protest showed students allegedly raising slogans against the PM and home minister.

Replying to a query about the alleged provocative slogans raised in JNU, Fadnavis told reporters, "We will crush the intentions of these offspring of Sharjeel Imam born in JNU. Such unholy intentions which stand with traitors...we will crush these intentions and won't let it happen." When asked about Union minister C R Patil's reported statement made during a public meeting in Surat that Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was from the Patidar community, Fadnavis said he does not know what Patil had said, and asserted that the Maratha empire founder belonged to the entire country.

"Because great men do not have any caste or community. They belong to the entire country. Hence, I feel it is not right to connect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to any caste because he belongs to the entire country and we are today because of him," the CM said. PTI CLS NP