Violence at JNU: ABVP Students Report Attack by Leftist Groups
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Feb 23 (NationPress) An outbreak of violence occurred at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) during the early hours of Monday, involving clashes between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and student groups associated with the Left.
This conflict reportedly stemmed from protests by Left groups concerning alleged casteist comments made by the university's Vice-Chancellor. The Left has accused ABVP members of attacking protesters, while the ABVP has countered with claims of harassment, further inflaming tensions on campus.
ABVP student Prateek Bhardwaj recounted his harrowing experience during the altercation: “I lost track of my location in the chaos. In an attempt to escape, I found only one restroom open, where I locked myself in. After about 30 minutes, a group of at least 150 people arrived and attempted to break down the door. They created a hole and filled the restroom with smoke and powder from a fire extinguisher. I even captured photos during that time,” he shared with IANS.
Bhardwaj elaborated on the incident's context, stating, “The Vice-Chancellor employs a CPO manual to establish university rules. When restrictions were placed on Left-wing students—a situation that was also recorded on video—five individuals were restricted. This restriction was then transformed into a political issue.”
Post-incident reports indicated no significant injuries among students. Only two students sought medical leave certificates (MLC) from a government hospital, and as of now, no formal complaints have been lodged, according to Delhi Police.
Another ABVP member, Vaibhav Meena, commented, “The Left organized a march. Following the march, it seemed they executed a premeditated plan that had not been disclosed. A crowd of approximately 400 individuals, many masked and armed with sticks and rods, entered the university premises. Upon arrival, they commenced locking the school buildings.”
Pravin Kumar Piyush, the ABVP Secretary at JNU, added, “Late in the evening, a Left-wing organization organized a march from Sabarmati T-Point to the residence of the JNU Vice-Chancellor. After the march, around 400 to 500 masked individuals entered the school area, brandishing hockey sticks, rods, batons, knives, and stones. They forced their way into the school while common students were studying in the reading rooms and allegedly expelled them forcibly.”
Authorities have launched preliminary investigations, and further inquiries are underway to determine the full circumstances surrounding the violence and to identify those responsible.