Hitting out at the government, Rahul Gandhi today said the JNU row and the violence in the Patiala House court are a “blot” on India’s image and asserted that nationalism runs in his blood, a rebuke to the BJP for its “anti-national” jibe at him.

Taking the battle against the Centre to President Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress Vice-President said the RSS was trying to impose its “flawed” and “dead” ideology on the students of the country but his party would not allow it.

Speaking to the media after submitting a memorandum to the President, he also referred to the suicide by Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad and accused the Hindutva organisation of “crushing” him.

“It is not the government’s job to destroy institutions .... Bad signals have been sent out in India and abroad. It is a blot on the country’s image,” he said.

Accused by BJP chief Amit Shah of “supporting traitors” Gandhi hit back saying, “Nationalism is in my blood. I have seen my family making sacrifices again and again for this country.”

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