Centre seeks report on JNU violence, students body demands judicial probe

At least 16 students were injured after two groups of students belonging to the Left-affiliated outfits and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) allegedly clashed in the Kaveri hostel mess on Sunday evening.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the violence on campus over a havan and non-vegetarian food on hotel mess menu on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday, even as the Union education ministry sought a report from the university over the incident.

At a protest on JNU campus on Tuesday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT)

At least 16 students were injured after two groups of students belonging to the Left-affiliated outfits and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) allegedly clashed in the Kaveri hostel mess on Sunday evening. While the Left-wing students alleged that ABVP members assaulted students after objecting to non-vegetarian food on mess menu, ABVP has maintained that Leftist students disrupted a havan organised on Ram Navmi at the hostel.

The JNU teachers association also issued a statement on Tuesday, expressing concern over the statement issued by the registrar on Monday, which, according to them, gave a “communal colour” to the incident.

In the statement over the incident, the registrar said some students tried to disrupt a havan organised at the Kaveri Hostel, and advised all students exercise restraint. “To give a communal dimension to the whole incident, when none existed, by none other than the registrar himself, is most unfortunate. Moreover, the registrar seems to have already passed a judgment without any enquiry...,” JNUTA said in a statement.

A JNUSU delegation on Tuesday approached the vice-chancellor to put forth their demands seeking an independent judicial enquiry to probe Sunday violence but could not meet her. The student body was asked to place a formal appointment request for a meeting with the vice-chancellor which is likely to take place on Wednesday. The delegation has also demanded that the university rescind its statement issued on Monday.

Apeksha Priyadarshini, one of the members of the delegation, said the union was seeking judicial inquiry into Sunday’s violence, withdrawal of the university’s statement issued on Monday, and action against culprits.

JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit and the JNU registrar could not be contacted as calls and text messages sent to them remained unanswered.