JNU row: Bassi downplays BJP MLA's 'extremely minor' attack, says OP Sharma was also injured

The day after a group of lawyers physically assaulted onlookers and journalists in a court in Delhi, the city’s police commissioner BS Bassi continued to claim that provocations were made from both sides, leading to the scuffle. Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, Bassi said that it was a ‘surcharged environment,’ and that allegations and counter-allegations have been made, ANI reported. The police chief has claimed that BJP MLA OP Sharma also sustained injuries in the scuffle and has been sent for a medical examination. He said that the police would go through the video footage and take appropriate action. On Monday, Bassi was quoted as saying, “Excesses were committed from both sides, but they have been extremely minor in nature.” The Delhi Police chief’s statements have come even as questions are being raised over why the police did not intervene to stop the violence. [caption id=“attachment_2628326” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  BS Bassi. File photo. Image courtesy: CNN-IBN screengrab[/caption] “Investigations are on, and after identifying the people, action will be taken as per the law,” Bassi said on Tuesday. The Times of India has quoted sources as saying that the home ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office has taken serious note of the incident and ‘heads may roll.’ According to the report, the police, instead of taking action against the mob, asked reporters to hide the identity cards and rush out. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea seeking a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the sedition case against the JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar. The Delhi HC has termed the demand for an NIA probe as ‘premature’ and said that the incident took place on 9 February and that the court could not assume that the police was not investigating the case, ANI reported. JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested over sedition charges in connection with an event on 9 February where JNU students were protesting against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The Congress has reacted sharply to the attacks in the courtroom in Delhi on Tuesday. Party spokesperson Manish Tiwari tweeted:

CBFC,FTII,Hyderabad Central University, JNU &now even Patiala House Court Fascists will stop at nothing to try and subvert the idea of INDIA

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) February 16, 2016

AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh also took to Twitter to say:

Were they Lawyers ? Would Bar Council and Judiciary pl look into it.

— Digvijaya Singh (@digvijaya_28) February 16, 2016

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With inputs from PTI