New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS): After having invited them to participate for a Monday event on Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress struck off from the invite names of former student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar and Shehla Rashid who have been charge-sheeted in the ‘JNU sedition case.

Organised by the Congress' minority cell, Rashid and Kumar along with Delhi University professor Apoorvanand were to be the panelists at the "Remembering Mahatma Gandhi on 72nd Martyrdom Anniversary" here.

Subsequently, the party issued new invitations for the event with names of both Kumar and Rashid missing and Congress spokespersons Manish Tewari and Priyanka Chaturvedi listed among the panelists.

Tewari defended inviting both of them contending that a chargesheet was not a proof of their being guilty but was evasive about why their names were struck off from the invite.

Asked if the invite was withdrawn because of BJP's criticism, Tewari said the "media was trying to create a storm in a teacup".

While both Kumar and Rashid could not be reached for their comments, the Congress minority cell claimed they had cited their unavailability for the event because of which new panelists were named.