Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani took to Twitter to attack Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for sending 'goons' to her residence in protest against a ban on a students organisation in IIT Madras.

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani took to Twitter to attack Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for sending 'goons' to her residence in protest against a ban on a students organisation in IIT Madras.

In a series of tweets in reply to Rahul Gandhi's comments on Twitter, an apparently furious Irani slammed Gandhi for not being able to "fight his own battles and hiding behind the NSUI".

"Yesterday u told NSUI to create disorder where there is order. Today ur goons come to my house as I'm away at work," Irani tweeted, referring to Gandhi's address at a NSUI rally where he urged student leaders to take up their fight and not let to fight RSS in educational institutions wherever RSS is imposing its ideology.

Irani also challenged Gandhi to a debate on any issue of governance including education. "Give me a time n place n I'm ready to debate everything..."

The Union Minister has been repeatedly facing flak for what many term as the interference of RSS in educational institutions including the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology.

IIT student group banned for criticizing Modi Government. What next? (1/2) — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) May 29, 2015

Free speech is our right. We will fight any attempt to crush dissent and debate: Rahul Gandhi (2/2) — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) May 29, 2015

@OfficeofRG yesterday u told NSUI to create disorder where there is order. Today ur goons come to my house as I'm away at work. — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 29, 2015

@OfficeofRG tell ur men strong arm tactics were tried in Amethi n didn't scare me during Lok Sabha elections. They won't scare me now. — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 29, 2015

@OfficeofRG give me a time n place n I'm ready to debate everything re governance including education. — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 29, 2015

@OfficeofRG next time fight ur battles ur self don't hide behind NSUI. N by d way I'm b returning to Amethi soon. See you there. — Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 29, 2015

While Rahul Gandhi's office is yet to reply, NSUI president Roji M John tweeted back at Irani saying he was ready to debate her.

John further tweeted out an image of female NSUI members questioning the minister if they looked like goons to her.

"For someone like her who knows nothing about educational institutions and student movements, I would like to point out that India's independence was won on the shoulders of the student and youth movement. She needs to issue a public apology for calling student activists, 'goons', it is an insult to the student community of the country," Roji told Firstpost.

.@smritiirani For ur qualification, you should be asking a child 4 debate. Still, since you insist, I challenge you 4 a debate. @OfficeOfRG — Roji M John (@rojimjohn) May 29, 2015

.@smritiirani These are the girls arrested by your police 4 protesting. Do they look like 'goons' to you? #IITMadras pic.twitter.com/3UnNi9OgQd — Roji M John (@rojimjohn) May 29, 2015

Earlier on Friday, members of the NSUI, the Congress student union organisation, protested outside the residence of Smriti Irani demanding that the controversial circular banning a student group in IIT-Madras, for allegedly criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, be withdrawn.

"There is an attempt by the ruling party to enforce the RSS ideology on educational institutions. We demand the immediate withdrawal of the circular," a NSUI member said.

The Union HRD ministry has, in a statement said, that the IIT is an autonomous body and it has its own procedures.

In April, a group of Parliamentarians wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee expressing their concern over RSS influence in educational institutions.

"The role of the HRD ministry and its minister is to lay down broad policy and to ensure adequate funding and not to interfere in or systematically erode the processes that govern the functioning of these institutions," said the letter, signed by the parliamentarians from the Congress, Janata Dal (United) and the Left.

"We call upon the Honourable President to exercise his wisdom and prevent lasting damage to some great institutions such as the IITs and Universities of eminence," it added.