DU autonomous, won't intervene in Ramjas College issue: Javadekar

The government on Thursday ruled out any intervention in connection with the violence at Ramjas College, saying Delhi University is an autonomous institution and police will take required action.

"How can we intervene? They are an autonomous university. Police will investigate and take required action," Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said on the sidelines of an event here.

"Nobody... neither the university, college administration nor the students have approached us for help so far," he replied to a query about law and order situation on the campus.

Ramjas College had turned into a battleground on Wednesday as students of Left-affiliated AISA and the RSS-backed ABVP armed with hockey sticks rained blows on each other, causing injuries to many.

The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid, facing sedition charge, and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on "Culture of Protests" which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the ABVP.

Madhu Purnima Kishwar, an Indian academician and writer tweeted: "University — a battlefield of ideas, not demonstration of muscle power. Undervaluing intellectual accomplishments & scholarship is bane of BJP."

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said freedom of expression in the country does not give right to make college campuses hub of anti-national activity. "No anti-India slogans will be allowed in the name of freedom of speech," he said.