Anti-Naxal NSUI, ABVP unite in JNU

Jawaharlal Nehru University is tense. The pro- and anti-Maoist debate has hit campus in shape of a heated battle of ideologies. And as the tenets of Indian nationalism are animatedly contested by bright students from different parts of the country, two bitter rivals — NSUI and ABVP — have ended up on the same side of the fence.

After Thursday's clash between student groups over a cultural programme that allegedly supported Maoists and the recent death of 76 CRPF jawans in Dantewada, Akhil Bahrtiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students' Union of India (NSUI) along with Youth for Equality (YFE) have floated a new group on Friday against Maoist sympathizers on campus.

“The group is called Students Against Naxalism and is meant for students who feel strongly against what happened on Thursday and want to voice their concern over anti-national campaign on campus,” said Sunil Jhajharia, president, NSUI. Students Against Nationalism will demonstrate outside the Vice-Chancellor's office on Monday and hold a protest march at India Gate on Tuesday.

The flurry of activity spawned by the Dantewada violence here in JNU can be traced to a meeting held on Thursday

against ‘Operation Green Hunt’ by JNU Forum Against War on People, a group that is against the “State’s war against it own people".

The forum is backed by leftist groups Democratic Students Union (DSU) and All India Students Association (AISA).

ABVP and NSUI held a demonstration to protest the meeting, which eventually led to a clash among students. While the administration has said it was not informed of the meeting, members of the Forum Against War on People allege otherwise. The mood on the campus has been volatile ever since.