Mittal questioned how a rumor about an alleged rape spread among students and led to violence on the campus. Screengrab: ANI
LPU violence: Ashok Mittal raises Pakistan angle, calls for probe into alleged conspiracy
LPU founder-chancellor Ashok Mittal said the campus violence and social media rumours should be investigated, including possible links to events at Chitkara University
Lovely Professional University founder-chancellor Ashok Mittal on Thursday (October 1) alleged that Pakistan could be behind the violence that erupted on the campus, saying the incident needed to be examined in the context of Punjab’s border with the neighbouring country.
“We know that Punjab is a border state and shares a border with Pakistan. Pakistan continues to disrupt peace within our nation in some way or another,” Mittal said as quoted by NDTV. He called the episode “a matter of security of the 3 crore people living in Punjab”.
Ashok Mittal raises Pakistan angle
The Rajya Sabha MP, who was elected on an AAP ticket before switching to the BJP earlier this year, also questioned how a rumour about an alleged rape spread among students and led to violence on the campus.
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“A false rumour was spread in Punjab through a social media platform that a girl had been raped and had committed suicide, along with other such claims. What was the conspiracy behind it, how were the students instigated, and how did outside elements subsequently enter the situation and damage the entire university?” Mittal said.
He said the investigation should establish where the alleged conspiracy began. “The question that arises is whether the conspiracy was formed outside Punjab or inside Punjab. It has to be investigated,” he said.
Mittal links LPU violence to Chitkara incident
Mittal also drew attention to an incident at Chitkara University in Rajpura, which he said had similarities with what happened at LPU.
“A day earlier, something happened at Chitkara University on Friday-Saturday night, and then it happened at LPU on Saturday-Sunday night. So, it is clear that there is a similar pattern and the same Reddit platform was used,” he said.
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“I am afraid that what happened may not be against LPU alone, and may not be against Ashok Mittal alone. This conspiracy may be against my Punjab. This is a conspiracy to disturb and destabilise my Punjab,” he added.