Indore: Newly-appointed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Gajendra Singh Patel on Tuesday claimed "foreign forces" are spreading hatred by misguiding students to stage protests in order to divide the country.
He noted that earlier student movements in the country were carried out with a positive attitude and respectful words were spoken towards political leaders, but that has changed now.
"After an idea was spread on social media, young people from Gen Z joined it, but this idea was supported by external elements from behind the scenes in the country," Patel told reporters here.
The BJP leader was asked for his reaction to student protests that have started in various states on the lines of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led agitation at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in July over the NEET paper leak that culminated in the resignation of then-Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
He maintained that the tone and the tenor of student movements have changed now.
Patel said, "...but now everyone is noticing how foreign powers are spreading poison and hatred (among students) to divide this country. However, our youth are very intelligent and they, too, understand this."
The Lok Sabha MP from tribal-dominated Khargone-Barwani in Madhya Pradesh urged the youth to place their demands "'within decorum" as the ruling BJP was solving all their problems.
On Monday, about 200 students of the Eklavya Adarsh Residential School in Barwani district, which falls under Patel's constituency, marched for about 25 kilometers, seeking action against teachers for allegedly using casteist slurs against them and behaving indecently.
Asked about the unusual protest, Patel said, "Some minor mistakes may be made by a teacher in the school, but children should not come out on the streets. We stand with the children and their problems will definitely be resolved."
He claimed some organisations active over the past year had misled the students of the government-run school and instigated the protest.
Responding to a question, the BJP general secretary insisted the country is moving towards self-reliance in ethanol production, which is increasing employment opportunities and benefiting the fuel sector.
Patel termed the recent rise in sugar prices as a "short-term problem" and alleged the Opposition is engaging in disinformation campaign to mislead people on the issue.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.