A clash broke out at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of Social Sciences during a general body meeting to elect a school representative for upcoming student union polls late Wednesday night.
Left-aligned student groups, including AISA and SFI, accused Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members of disrupting proceedings and assaulting students, with a woman allegedly “grabbed by the throat” and several injured taken to Safdarjung Hospital.
ABVP countered that a Left councillor used discriminatory remarks against students from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, sparking the confrontation. Both sides have urged the administration to investigate, but JNU has not yet responded officially.
Accusations and Injuries
The meeting began as a routine process to select a student representative, but quickly escalated when tempers flared between rival groups. According to Left organisations, ABVP members heckled speakers, snatched phones, and physically assaulted several attendees, focusing their aggression on a woman councillor.
In response, ABVP alleged its members were attacked after confronting a Left councillor over “regional discrimination.”
Photos circulated by students showed multiple people with visible injuries and blood stains. “ABVP’s hooliganism is an attempt to derail the democratic election process,” an AISA spokesperson stated, while ABVP called the incident “a direct attack on the university’s democratic and intellectual traditions”.
Background of Campus Tensions
This latest confrontation fits a recurring pattern of campus clashes tied to growing ideological and regional divisions.
Student union representatives and campus observers note that JNU has seen repeated breakdowns in decorum around election time, often culminating in violence instead of debate.
Both ABVP and Left groups have accused each other of undermining campus democracy and safety, with the university administration facing renewed calls for stricter safeguards. As injuries mount and accusations fly, students are seeking not just answers but concrete changes to prevent future unrest.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Peaceful dialogue is the cornerstone of democracy, especially within universities tasked with shaping young minds. The Logical Indian strongly condemns the violence at JNU and urges robust, independent investigation as well as accountability for all those responsible, regardless of ideology.
True progress can only come from respect and collective restraint, fostering an environment where all voices are heard safely.
