Even as the situation is under control a day after, it was due to clash of ideologies which led to tensions flared at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Thursday evening . The student groups Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accused Left-backed student organisations of attacking a Durga idol immersion procession. In turn, Left-affiliated groups hit back, accusing the ABVP of leveraging religious practices for political messaging through a controversial Ravan Dahan event.
According to ABVP, clashes erupted near the Sabarmati T-Point around 7pm, where members of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), and Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF) allegedly disrupted the procession, pelting stones and verbally abusing participants. Several students, including women, reportedly sustained injuries.
“This is not just an attack on a religious event, but a direct attack on the university’s festive tradition and the faith of the students. The ABVP will not tolerate such cultural aggression at any cost," ABVP JNU president Mayank Panchal said while speaking a news agency.
Echoing this sentiment, ABVP JNU minister Praveen Piyush stated, “Stone-pelting and even attacking female students during a sacred ritual like Durga Visarjan is condemnable and shameful," and called on the university administration to take strict action.
JNUSU joint secretary Vaibhav Meena also decried the events, labelling them “a direct assault on the cultural harmony and brotherhood of the university."In response, the AISA refuted the allegations and instead criticised the ABVP for politicising religion. The group pointed to a Ravan Dahan event allegedly organised by the ABVP, where effigies resembling former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were reportedly used to represent Ravan. Both Khalid and Imam are currently facing trial in cases related to the anti-CAA protests and the Delhi riots conspiracy.
“This is a blatant and dastardly display of Islamophobia, exploiting religious sentiments to harvest political benefits," the AISA said in its statement.The group further questioned the ABVP’s choice of targets, asking why figures such as Nathuram Godse, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, or individuals accused of inciting violence during the 2020 Delhi riots were not depicted instead.
“JNU rejects the politics of hate and Islamophobia," the statement read, urging students to resist what they described as “the divisive politics of RSS-ABVP."With both groups accusing each other of attempting to polarise the campus and disrupt its cultural atmosphere, the situation remains tense. The JNU administration has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the incident.
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