The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) BJPs student organisation, affiliated with the RSS on Sunday organised a 'Nishedh Sabha' at Azad Maidan in the city, protesting against demands for the release of jailed activist Umar Khalid and alleging that a recent demonstration over the NEET examination controversy had been diverted to raise what it described as 'anti-national' issues. Well, Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation has indeed rattled the State BJP government and due to which it is using the services of its own student organisations like the ABVP by branding the students who were protesting over the NEET examination issue in the state recently as anti-nationals by mixing the Umar Khalid placards issue. Umar Khalid has been charged under the UAPA in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots, but he has not been convicted of terrorism by any court. In a democracy, every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A government which inwardly believes in backing hate-mongers like Gautam Khattar to spit venom against the minorities has no right to distract Goans from its own major failures.
JERRY FERNANDES, Saligao
