Clashes erupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and left-backed groups (AISA, SFI, and DFI) during a university meeting on organizing students’ union elections. The clashes occurred during the University General Body Meeting (UGBM) at Sabarmati Dhaba to select members of the Election Commission for the upcoming 2024 JNUSU polls.
A large number of students had gathered at the Dhaba on the campus to cast their votes for electing members of the EC at the UGBM. It soon resulted in heated arguments from both sides, further escalating into violent clashes and resulting in injuries to both party sympathizers. In videos shared by both groups on social media, ABVP and JNU students’ union members can be seen arguing amid shouting and sloganeering as university security personnel try to control the situation.
According to a statement issued by ABVP, “A University General Body Meeting was organized by the All-Party at Sabarmati Ground at 9:30 PM. At first, leftist JNUSU had passed casteist slurs to the mic and sound workers as they did not want the ABVP to participate in the UGBM. The workers felt humiliated and backed off thereupon. However, ABVP activists talked to them and influenced them to not take mics and sound. When the left-leaning parties (AISA, SFI, and DSF) saw that the UGBM would take place anyhow, they tried to disturb the GBM. However, ABVP failed with all their tactics. At last, they started beating ABVP activists. They even did not spare the physically handicapped students who were sympathizers of ABVP”. ABVP has also released a video clip where they allege that Aishe Ghosh of SFI is seen threatening a physically handicapped student, Divyaprakash of BA Persian, while another student, Prafulla, a MA final-year student, was harmed by a sharp object.
However, Left-affiliated Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF) in a statement alleged Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members obstructed the UGBM by encroaching upon the dais and heckling council members and speakers. While the Students’ Federation of India claimed that JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh was attacked by ABVP students and water was thrown at her during the ruckus.