Fascist surgical strike by BJP on students: Mamata on JNU row

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday termed the attack on students and teachers at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University as a "fascist surgical strike" by the BJP, evoking sharp reactions from the saffron party, which said she should stop shedding "crocodile tears".

Banerjee, who is also the TMC boss, said she had begun her political career as a student leader but never before witnessed such "brazen attack" on educational institutes.

"Whatever is happening across the country is very disturbing... I, too, was involved in student politics at one point in time, but never have I witnessed this sort of an attack on students and educational institutions...

"It was a planted attack on democracy. Yesterday's was a fascist surgical strike on the student community," Banerjee told reporters, before leaving for her three-day trip to Gangasagar.

Whoever raised voice against the BJP was dubbed "anti national" or a Pakistani", she claimed.

"India is a democracy and we have