Late on Friday night, a confrontation erupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi between students affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-leaning student organizations, including the All India Students’ Association and Democratic Students Federation. Both factions claimed injuries sustained during the altercation, which occurred during the University General Body Meeting (UGBM) at the Sabarmati Dhaba to select members of the election commission for the 2024 Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) polls.
VIDEO | Visuals of a scuffle that broke out late Friday night at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, Delhi, between ABVP and Left-backed groups.
The student groups clashed during the University General Body Meeting (UGBM) at the Sabarmati Dhaba on the campus to elect… pic.twitter.com/qOAcoXm3Ic
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 10, 2024
Confirming the incident, a Delhi police official informed The Indian Express that they were in contact with the JNU administration and investigating the matter. A police control room (PCR) call was received at the Vasant Kunj North police station around 12:30 am, prompting a police team to arrive at the university gate without entering the campus premises.
Criticism was directed at the ABVP by the All India Students’ Association (AISA) for their alleged hindrance of democratic processes on campus. AISA called for unity against the ABVP’s disruptive actions, emphasizing the importance of protecting the campus’s democratic values and ensuring a safe environment for all students.
The ABVP, in response, accused the JNUSU of making casteist remarks against the mike and sound workers to prevent their participation in the UGBM. They claimed that despite attempts by Left-led parties to disrupt the meeting, they proceeded with the UGBM, leading to physical altercations where even physically challenged students were targeted.
Videos circulated on social media depict heated arguments and commotion between ABVP and JNUSU members, with university security personnel attempting to intervene.
The Democratic Students Federation (DSF) criticized the ABVP for allegedly colluding with the administration to obstruct the UGBM initiated by students, which aimed to facilitate the democratic process for the upcoming JNUSU elections.
Earlier in the day, the JNUSU had collected the required quorum, signifying the commencement of the UGBM process.
Source: Indian Express
