Midnight violence rocks university grounds during massive student demonstrations.
Midnight chaos descended upon Jawaharlal Nehru University late Sunday as mounting frustrations over recent administrative actions triggered severe violence between rival student factions. Over a hundred scholars initially gathered to march from the Sabarmati T Point towards the East Gate. However, tensions regarding controversial statements made by Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, alongside the recent suspension of several student union representatives, ultimately peaked in a major JNU campus clash involving alleged stone-pelting and physical assaults.
Officials at JNU immediately took legal steps on Monday by filing formal police complaints. Management strongly condemned what they termed as destructive and unruly behaviour by demonstrators. According to the administration, certain protesters forcefully shut down academic buildings and stormed the Central Library. Reports indicate that these individuals threatened fellow classmates who refused to participate in the late-night march. Despite the extensive property damage and heightened campus anxiety, authorities confirmed that regular classes and academic schedules remain uninterrupted. Strict disciplinary measures, including actions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), are currently being prepared against the offenders.
Frustrations among the student body primarily stem from a recent podcast interview featuring the Vice-Chancellor. During the broadcast, Pandit criticised the new equity regulations introduced by the University Grants Commission, labeling them as unnecessary products of "wokeism." She argued that marginalised groups should avoid adopting a permanent victim mindset. Left-aligned student organisations quickly branded these comments as blatantly casteist and demanded her immediate resignation. Former JNUSU president Nitish Kumar publicly stated that such a leader has no moral right to govern the institution. Defending her stance, Pandit clarified that her words were misinterpreted and heavily emphasised her own Bahujan background.
During the late-night mobilization, the situation rapidly deteriorated into a severe physical brawl. Members of the Left-affiliated JNUSU and the right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) both released conflicting statements blaming each other for the violence. Left groups shared videos allegedly showing ABVP members throwing stones to disrupt their peaceful movement. JNUSU President Aditi Mishra accused the administration of deploying external agitators to silence their legitimate grievances. Conversely, ABVP representatives insisted that left-wing activists initiated the hostilities by attacking female students and aggressively forcing uninvolved scholars out of reading rooms to artificially inflate their protest numbers. Security personnel reportedly struggled to contain the escalating melee as both sides sustained injuries.
With Agency Inputs and File Photo
