Union Human Resource and Development Minister Arjun Singh on Saturday met with a hostile reception at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi when a group of students raised anti-reservation slogans against him and booed him.
No sooner had the minister got up to deliver his address, around 50 students belonging to 'Youth for Equality' at the auditorium, started waving black flags and shouted anti-reservation slogans against him.
Wearing black badges, they sought his resignation, and accused him of 'dividing the students on the basis of caste reservation.'
The agitating students were immediately whisked away by private security guards at the premises and Singh delivered the lecture to mark the 'completion of 150 years of first freedom struggle of 1857.'
Outside too, Singh had to face the fury of angry protestors who threw water missiles at his car while flashing cards saying 'Don't divide and rule,' and 'We oppose casteist reservation.'
Talking to media persons at the venue, Singh said, "We hear such slogans everyday. I respect the sentiments of youngsters but we must realise that modern India will achieve its potential only when each and every citizen will have a play and role in it."
"We still have the collective sentiments that all sections of the society get equal opportunities," he said.
Maintaining that the matter was sub-judice, he parried a query related to the Centre's decision to hold an all party meet on the issue. The seminar was jointly organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra and Foundation of Culture and Literature.
More from rediff