A clash between two groups of students left at least 6 injured at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday. The violence took place between the members of ABVP and the left-wing of JNUSU over the consumption of non-vegetarian food at the Hindu festival of Ram Navami.
JSUNU alleged the use of “Goondaism and Muscle Power” by RSS to capture attention and create a ruckus. The JNU Students’ Union claimed that the right-wing RSS activists barged inside the campus, manhandled the staff, and compelled them to not prepare any non-vegetarian food items. “They were adamant, they attacked the mess committee and started forcing them to change the menu and exclude the non-vegetarian items for all students”, it claimed.
“The university and hostels are meant to be inclusive spaces for all and not only a particular section”, stated the union.
However, the student wing of RSS rejected any such allegations and alleged that the leftist students disrupted a puja organized in Kaveri Hostel on the occasion of Ram Navami. According to RSS, some unaffiliated students had organized a havan program at 3:30 pm in Kaveri Hostel which was then joined by a large number of common students from JNU.
It is claimed that the leftists came to object, obstruct and thwart the puja. Both sides have accused each other of pelting stones and severely injuring members.
Several videos of the violence have surfaced and are taking rounds on social media, with a few clips showcasing a woman student bleeding profusely from the head, “they also attacked the mess vendor who came to supply the chicken” she said. The authenticity of the videos has not been confirmed yet.
Police were rushed to the scene to break the scuffle. The cops have denied allegations of being mute spectators and have assured that they rushed to the scene along with their teams as soon as they received a PCR call. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Manoj C informed stated that a total of 6 students have received injuries and have been sent to a hospital.
“There is no aggression as of now; our team is positioned here at the request of the university. We are trying to maintain peace. At present the situation is peaceful and appropriate legal action will be taken against the perpetrators of law”, the senior officer added. The two groups have however claimed over 60 injured students from both sides.
The administration of the university has also warned students against engaging in any sort of violence on campus and cautioned them from getting involved in incidents that disturb the peace and harmony of the campus. Following the incident, the Vice-Chancellor, rector, and other senior officials visited the hostel and met the students.
“JNU administration reiterates its resolve for zero tolerance towards any form of violence on campus. If anyone indulges in such actions, they will be liable for disciplinary action as per the rules of the university”.
Complaints have been registered against unknown ABVP students by a group of students who are members of JNUSU, SFI, DSF, and AISA. “We have registered an FIR and will conduct further investigation to collect factual or scientific evidence and identify the culprits” stated the Deputy Commissioner of Police. He also added that several students from ABVP have also intimated the filing of a complaint.
Published BY: Aman Gupta
Edited BY: Vanshika Sahu
