Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday launched a blistering attack at the Central Government over the police crackdown on Jamia Millia Islamia students.

In a statement, Sonia said: “Modi Government has started a war on the country and its people. The Modi government has become mother of violence and partition. The government has pushed the country to an atmosphere of hatred and it is burning the future of the youngsters”.

“The government itself is playing politics. Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya are burning. Four people have died in police firing in Assam alone. From Delhi to Bengal, the violence and protests have erupted all over. The Home Minister does not have the courage to go to the northeast,” said the statement.

The Congress chief also said that the intention of the Modi government is clear – spreading instability and violence in the country.

Sonia’s reaction came a day after Delhi Police launched a crackdown on the students in the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia. The police and the students had a face-off which left many students and police personnel injured.

Earlier on Monday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led a sit-in protest against police atrocities at the iconic India Gate.

After sitting for two hours in a peaceful protest against the police action on Jamia Millia Islamia students on Monday, Gandhi attacked the BJP-led Central government by terming the action as ‘dictatorial’.

Priyanka was accompanied by senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, AK Antony, General Secretary KC Venugopal, Ambika Soni, and Mukul Wasnik.

Priyanka also termed the crackdown as an attack on the soul of India and in an attack on Narendra Modi, she said, “Why is the Prime Minister silent on economy and rapes?”

The Congress has called for a judicial inquiry into the violence and alleged that the Delhi Police, which is under the control of BJP-led central government, was taking orders from BJP.

The Delhi Police has been accused of forcefully entering the university campus and beating up the students.

The students have claimed that they have not been involved in violence adding that it was done by some outsiders who want to disrupt the peace in the university and the locality around it.