Trinamool Congress demands CBI probe into JNU student's disappearance

New Delhi: Alleging political vendetta behind the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, Rajya Sabha member TMC member Vivek Gupta today asked the Centre to order a probe by CBI or any other appropriate agency in the matter.

Najeeb had gone missing on October 15 following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with ABVP members the night before.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the House, Gupta asked the government whether any special measures have been initiated to trace the missing student.

Alleging that the JNU officials were insensitive in the matter, he wondered whether Najeeb will end up just as a statistics about missing persons.

Gupta said the ABVP students allegedly involved in the incident have not yet been questioned. He also claimed that the Vice Chancellor of the University had even refused to meet the mother of the missing student.

"This a clear case of political vendetta. We are witnessing that political vendetta is spreading like a cancer in the country," he said and asked the Centre to order a CBI probe or any other appropriate enquiry to trace Najeeb.

He further said political vendetta is a "serious" matter and demanded a statement from the government on the issue.

Joy Abraham (KC-M) raised the issue of Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a priest from Kerala abducted by a terror group in war-torn Yemen last year, and sought the help of the entire House for his early release.

"It seems his life is in danger...It seems his health is deteriorating," he said and sought speedy intervention by the government in the matter.

Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier spoken on the issue and the matter is being "definitely" being taken up. "Since he is an Indian citizen, we all have to be concerned about this," she added.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to convey the members' concerns to the External Affairs Minister.

In his Zero Hour mention, Nadimul Haque (TMC) highlighted the poor financial condition of several ex-sportspersons who have made the country proud. He said many of them have to take up petty jobs to earn their livelihood. Prem Chand Gupta (RJD) sought a discussion on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman said the business in the House was "productive and fruitful" compared to the days of disruption, in an apparent reference to the nearly washed out Winter Session. "Let's do like this. It will be good for us," he said.

Rajya Sabha has not witnessed any adjournment in the ongoing Budget Session so far.