After branding students from TISS 'Urban Naxals', BJP leader Kirit Somaiya denied attacking any institution and said his fight was against "a set of fanatic, radical people seen at all protests". TISS students, on the other hand, have questioned his wife Medha's association with the institute on several projects as a Tata Chair Professor.

In half-a-dozen recent instances, the same set of fanatic radical people are seen. We are only concerned about those. A common factor among them is TISS," Somaiya told mid-day. He added that all such students belong to the Students Federation of India (SFI) and that any organisation supporting Imam is a matter of concern. "Any students' organisation has a limited role and certainly has no business commenting on democracy or issue press statements supporting Imam. As an individual they may, but not as students' councils."