RIYADH: Non-resident Indians (NRIs) in Saudi Arabia have denounced the suppression of democratic dissent and growing intolerance in India and came down heavily on the politicization of issues, especially in the country’s educational institutions.

The NRIs particularly slammed the incident at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the violent attack on journalists, allegedly by a legislator of the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and sympathizers and lawyers of the party during the court proceedings in New Delhi.

Mohammed Quaiser, president of Tanzeem Hum Hindustani, a non-profit and non-religious organization of overseas Indians in the Kingdom, said it is deeply disturbing to see what is happening in Indian universities.

“Earlier, the BJP targeted prestigious institutions like the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII-Pune), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Hyderabad Central University (HCU). And now, it is JNU,” he said.

“The ruling BJP is targeting institutions of higher learning one after another in an attempt to saffronize these prestigious institutions.”

Obaidur Rahman, joint convener of Milli Council in Saudi Arabia, said: “A citizen has the right to dissent without fear of victimization in our democracy. Still, the JNU student leader was arrested and charged with sedition on the basis of a doctored video.”

Arshad Khan, general secretary of Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association, Riyadh, said the arrest of the JNU student leader is deplorable as the charges are based on a doctored video, allegedly showing him chanting anti-India slogans. However, his full video speech on YouTube disproves the allegation, he said.

Kaunain Shahidi, a manager at the dairy products company, said: “The thought process in the central government and the way they are trying to manage educational institutions is disturbing and very much against the ethos of cultural diversity and secular fabric of India.”

Saquib Hamza, a business manager in Al-Khobar, told Arab News that the role of Delhi police and the handpicked JNU vice-chancellor is dubious as they played the villain.

The Delhi police overreacted on the basis of a doctored video as reported in the media, he said.

Hamza also condemned the attack on journalists by goons in the court premises, which he said is reflective of polarized atmosphere and growing intolerance in India.

Interview with BJP spokesperson