Lucknow, Jan 6 (IANS): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati have condemned the violence inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University in which students and teachers were attacked by masked persons.

At a press conference here, Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the Centre and said that masked men attacking teachers and students in the JNU shows how 'low' the government will stoop to establish the rule of fear.

"The BJP is using violence and hatred to polarise society and stifle dissent. The ABVP are acting like the storm troopers of the BJP," he said.

Akhilesh said that the attack on Sunday night was well planned and well orchestrated. He sought a judicial probe into the attack.

The BSP has termed the mob attack as shameful and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.

"The violence against students and teachers in the JNU is shameful and condemnable. The Centre should take it seriously and it would be better to order a judicial probe into it," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi on Monday.

Violence had broken out inside the JNU on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police, which conducted a flag march.

At least 28 people, including JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.