JNU Violence: ABVP, Left-backed groups clash over poll committee selection

A clash broke out between ABVP and Left-backed student groups at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) over the selection of election committee members at the School of Languages on Thursday night, leaving some students injured. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad JNU blamed the attack on students on the Left unions and said that they would stand for the rights of students.

"ABVP JNU condemns this brutal attack on students and will always stand for rights of students. Common Students who came to attend SL School GBM at School of Languages were brutally attacked with sharp objects by LEFTIST GOONS. Just because they were asking for a fair chance to participate and vote in the school GBM. Some students faced severe injuries," ABVP JNU posted on X.

"Atleast six people have been injured. The fight was started by them (AISA) and we have filed the complaint. The selective video have been released. These communist attacked us from the back and at that time were not able to record the video when we were attacked. They were all hitting us. In self-defence we attacked them as security people were not coming to help us. The issue started after questioning the process of EC process," Umesh Chandra, ABVP President told reporters on Friday.

While the Left-wing students accused the ABVP student wing of creating a ruckus and allegedly disrupting the selection process for the election committee.

"The last day of the GBM at the School of Languages witnessed another round of violence by ABVP goons. Initially attempting to disrupt the selection process for the election committee, the ABVP resorted to physical violence against students when thwarted by JNU students. The ABVP goons were seen wielding rods and targeting and beating common students indiscriminately," the AISA stated.

"The entire day these lumpens kept on disrupting the process of the GBM. They singled out the muslim students and they opposed whenever any muslim student propose their names for upcoming election committee. They also vitiated the atmosphere of school GBM premises by threatening students, by sexist and casteist slurs," AISA further stated.

The Left-wing students further alleged that two senior students of Ph.D. scholars and a senior AISA activist were chased and beaten up by the goons of ABVP.

"This is not the first incident of violence that occurred yesterday. Another lumpen who abused students for singing the national anthem, also misbehaved with security officials at the GBM premises, as multiple videos clearly depict his misconduct," they alleged.

The student union said that the JNU community must stand up and rise against this violence and the politics of intimidation.

"The VC office must acknowledge this act of vandalism and violence by the ABVP goons, whose faces are clearly visible and are seen in the videos circulating online. These perpetrators must be punished; they should be booked under relevant sections for unleashing such unprecedented violence," they said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said they have received a formal complaint on the matter from both sides. "We have received complaints from both sides. We are examining the complaints. The Police have come to know about three injured," the Delhi Police stated. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)