Ramjas row: ABVP to protest in Delhi University seeking campus ban on Left groups

The ABVP protest is the second in as many days after Wednesday’s demonstration at the Delhi Police headquarters over what they said was police inaction against those who allegedly raised anti-India slogans at Jawaharlal Nehru University last year.

The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), will launch a protest march at the Delhi University’s North Campus on Thursday, seeking a nationwide campus ban on Left-affiliated organisations.

Student of Ramjas College during their protest march against ABVP at North Campus in New Delhi on February 28.(PTI File Photo)

The ABVP protest is the second in as many days in Delhi after Wednesday’s demonstration at the police headquarters over what they said was police inaction against those who allegedly raised anti-India slogans at Jawaharlal Nehru University last year.

Police has deployed additional security personnel for the ‘Save DU’ march which will start at 12 pm from the Arts faculty and pass through Vishwavidyalaya metro station, Miranda College, Sri Ram College of Commerce, Ramjas College, and the Law Faculty before culminating at a Swami Vivekananda statue.

The organisers said the march has been planned for bringing back peace in Delhi University which has seen unprecedented violence over a seminar at the Ramjas College which was subsequently cancelled on February 22.

The ABVP is accused of involvement in clashes at Delhi’s Ramjas College during a seminar on February 22. Right-wing activists allegedly assaulted members of the Leftist All India Students’ Association (AISA) during scuffles over cancellation of JNU student Umar Khalid’s talk at the Ramjas College.

“DU has been peaceful because ABVP has dominated the campus. But now we are being wrongly accused of indulging in violence. The violence on February 22 happened because there were aggressors of the Left who had come from outside,” said Saket Bahuguna, ABVP national media convener.

A senior police official said “around 600 personnel including women will be deployed during the students’ protests” for Thursday’s march.

Earlier on Monday, the DUSU took out a ‘tiranga rally’ and marched from Ramjas College.

On Thursday, the Delhi high court is also likely to take up a plea filed by Delhi University (DU) law students against police in the Ramjas row.

Students from DU’s law department on Wednesday approached the high court for action against policemen who allegedly assaulted students and journalists during the violence at Ramjas college.

The PIL seeks formation of an independent committee of senior Delhi Police officials to investigate what led to the massive protests in Delhi University.

After the February 22 violence at Ramjas College, a Lady Sriram College student Gurmehar Kaur launched a social media campaign against ABVP. She later withdrew from the campaign after reportedly receiving rape and death threats.