JNU: Clashes break out between ABVP and Left-backed groups, students injured

A clash broke out in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-backed groups, reportedly after disagreements over the appointment of election committee members at the School of Languages. The altercation grew uncontrollable and led to the clash.

According to information, several students who were injured had to be admitted to both Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS Trauma Centre on Thursday night, 29 February. All of them are now back on campus.

Vice-chancellor Santishree D Pandit on Friday said strict action will be taken against those involved irrespective of their political affiliation.

"The JNU (students' union) elections are conducted by students. It is their responsibility to ensure that it is a peaceful democratic process. The Inter-hostel Administration (IHA) oversees the conduct of the polls. Any complaints by the students' body will be investigated by the IHA. Very strict action will be taken against those found guilty irrespective of their political affiliation," said Pandit.

She said that once the medico-legal cases of the students who have been injured were done, the university authorities would prepare a report and take appropriate action. Pandit warned the students that any act of violence on campus may lead to delaying the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) polls further.

Police have received three medico-legal case reports of students, Anwesha Rai, Shaurya and Madhurima, regarding the injuries from Safdarjung Hospital.

Deputy commissioner of police Rohit Meena said: "PCR calls were received at around 1:15 a.m. regarding a scuffle between students at GBM in JNU. Multiple complaints have been received in this regard and the allegations are being verified."

Students from both the ABVP and Left groups have filed police complaints against each other. The complaints were registered at Vasant Kunj North police station.

In one video, a man is seen thrashing students with a stick, while in another, a person can be seen throwing a bicycle at students. Other videos also showed individuals being beaten up by a group even as security personnel of the university tried to rescue them.

"We received information about the clashes on the campus at 1.15 am. At least four students were injured. Multiple complaints have been received from both sides. Inquiry is on," said a police officer.

The ABVP members have claimed that the two people – one with the stick and the one throwing the bicycle – were their JNU unit members and that they were attempting to defend themselves.

The Left-backed groups alleged that ABVP members, disgruntled by the selection of the election committee members, attacked JNUSU office bearers and other students.

JNUSU joint secretary Mohammad Danish, who was presiding the School General Body Meeting along with JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, said he has received threats to his life from ABVP members because of his religious identity. He alleged that he was held hostage during the meeting.

“On the last day of the general body meeting at the School of Languages, ABVP resorted to another round of violence at the end of the meeting. Initially attempting to disrupt the selection process for the election committee, the ABVP resorted to violence against students when thwarted by JNU students,” stated the Left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) in a statement.

“The senior students, such as Shaurya, a Ph.D. scholar, and Madhurima Kundu, a Ph.D. scholar and a senior AISA activist were chased and beaten up by the goons of ABVP. They also targeted Priyam and Anwesha, (MA Linguistics) and beat her up with iron rods. This is the state of the atmosphere in the new VC's administration. The VC Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit-led administration must provide an answer as to why these goons roam freely, targeting JNU students,” read the statement.

The Left students' group alleged that the ABVP goons were seen wielding rods and targeting and beating common students and they were accompanied by Kanhaiya Kumar, from the Japanese MA department. They claimed he is the leader of the ABVP’s unit at the School of Languages.

The ABVP, in turn, accused the Left group of foul play in electing the candidates of the election committee and alleged that the politburo chief in the general body meeting attempted to provide undue advantage to the SFI candidates.

"The open rigging in the counting of votes and imposition of self-made rules is a manifestation of autocracy akin to the system of Politburo," said the ABVP in a statement.

In a statement, student outfit AISA said that the last day of the GBM at the School of Languages witnessed another round of violence by ABVP.

“Initially attempting to disrupt the selection process for the election committee, the ABVP resorted to physical violence against students when thwarted by JNU students. Accompanied by Kanhaiya Kumar (M.A. Japanese) the ringleader of the SL unit, the ABVP members were seen wielding rods and targeting and beating common students indiscriminately,” AISA claimed.

AISA said that for the entire day they kept on disrupting the process of the GBM.

“They singled out the Muslim students and opposed whenever any Muslim student proposed their names for the upcoming election committee. They also vitiated the atmosphere of school GBM premises by threatening students, with sexist and casteist slurs,” AISA said.

It said that Praful (M.A. Korean) from the same school was seen picking up a bicycle and tossing it towards the students gathered for the GBM. The despicable sight of Priyanshu, a student supposedly at the centre of German studies, brazenly joining ABVP to physically assault a fellow student is utterly infuriating and reprehensible.

“The senior students, such as Shaurya, a Ph.D. scholar, and Madhurima Kundu, a Ph.D. scholar and a senior AISA activist were chased and beaten up by ABVP. They also targeted Priyam and Anwesha, (M.A. Linguistics) and beat her up with iron rods. This is the state of the atmosphere in the new VC's administration. The VC Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit-led administration must provide an answer as to why ABVP members roam freely, targeting the JNU students,” said AISA.

“The VC office must acknowledge this act of vandalism and violence by the ABVP, whose faces are clearly visible and are seen in the videos circulating online,” it added.

With inputs from IANS