On April 10, the members of Left student organizations at Jawahar Lal University allegedly attacked the residents of Kaveri Hostel who were celebrating Ram Navami. According to Left organizations, the members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, had a scuffle with the mess manager as non-vegetarian food was being served on the day of Ram Navami.
On the contrary, ABVP accused Left student organizations and the National Students Union of India (NSUI) of stopping them from doing Hawan and Puja on Ram Navami. Speaking to OpIndia, ABVP JNU President Rohit Kumar said there was no agitation from their side. Everything was going on peacefully, and Hindu students were doing Hawan in the designated place, and Muslim students had Iftar inside the mess. “They are projecting everything wrong to target us,” he added.
Politicisation of RamNavmi and Iftaar celebrations by Left Organisations.
— ABVP JNU (@abvpjnu) April 10, 2022
ABVPs official statement#Hinduphobicleft#AntiHinduLeft pic.twitter.com/gSUkzauvrs
Rohit said around seven days prior to Ram Navami, they had announced that there would be celebrations at Kaveri Hostel. “They did not like it. They started threatening us and tried to intimidate us so that we cancel the program, but we did not. They said they would throw bones at Hawan and would not let us do anything. They also issued a fake letter by the warden asking us not to perform any Puja, but it was debunked by the dean. We against issued a poster two days prior to the program to inform everyone about the Hawan and festivities,” he said.
Furthermore, there were celebrations at four different locations inside the JNU campus, but the maximum crowd was gathered at Kaveri Hostel. He said, “At around 3 PM, when we were about to start Hawan, a group of Left-backed students came and started protesting. There were members of ISCKON and many other students with us who had come to celebrate Ram Navami. Because of their protest, it was delayed for two hours. They kept saying they could not let Ram Navami be celebrated in the hostel as it was a secular place. We told them if it is a secular place, then Iftar should not happen, and the money spent on it should be used for students’ welfare.”
Leftists, Communists have attacked ABVP activists and common students of JNU. ABVP Activist Ravi Raj severely injured this Naxali attack #CommunistViolenceDownDown pic.twitter.com/d3Z0rq8Z9z
— ABVP JNU (@abvpjnu) April 10, 2022
The festivities finished in a tense environment, but no physical altercation happened during that period. Rohit said, “The video they are promoting as we were stopping the vendor from delivering meat is misleading. It was from the time when we protested against them for interrupting the festivities.” After the festivities, a large group of people who allegedly were not Kaveri’s residents came to meet the warden. Rohit said, “That was the time when the scuffle took place. Several ABVP members were injured, and seven of them sustained severe injuries. We rushed them to the hospital and got MLCs early in the morning.” A complaint from ABVP is yet to be filed in the matter.
An FIR has been registered by Delhi Police against ABVP students based on the complaint of JNUSU, SFI, DSF and AISA under Sections 323, 341, 509, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). ABVP would be filing complaint today.
Delhi Police registered FIR on the complaint of JNUSU, SFI,DSF and AISA against unknown ABVP students U/s -323/341/509/506/34 IPC.ABVP Students will also be giving in complaints against unknown students of JNUSU, SFI, DSF and AISA.
— Jitender Sharma (@capt_ivane) April 11, 2022
‘I don’t know why they attacked’, said student
A JNU student Divya said in a video statement that she had a fast on Sunday and was there to perform Ram Navmi Puja. Suddenly some left-wing students came and attacked them. “I do not even know what they attacked us,” she said.
JNU छात्रा दिव्या को कांच की बोतल तोड़कर मारा गया क्योंकि रामनवमी पर हवन में शामिल होने आओ थी।
— ABVP JNU (@abvpjnu) April 10, 2022
AISA, SFI के गुंडे कार्यकर्ताओं द्वारा एबीवीपी छात्रा कार्यकर्ताओं को भद्दी भद्दी गालियां दी गई।#LeftViolenceInJNU #LeftAgainstRam pic.twitter.com/x473m4YM8J
Divyang student brutally thrashed
A Divyang student at JNU said that left-wing students did not spare him despite requesting them repeatedly. He said, “I requested them not to beat me, but they did not listen.” He was returning home after attending Puja at Kaveri Hostel when he was attacked.
Also today, a ‘divyang’ student of JNU, who was returning home after attending #RamNavami celebrations with his classmates, was beaten by the leftists on the JNU campus and his clothes torn.
— Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) April 10, 2022
How much more ‘Azadi’ do these Leftists want?!!!
2/2 pic.twitter.com/h8dtEwFvff
ABVP led a protest march
After the incident, ABVP students led a protest march against the left-backed students and demanded strict action against those who attacked them.
आज की वामपंथी हिंसा के विरुद्ध एबीवीपी का जेएनयू परिसर में मार्च। लेफ्ट के नक्सली कार्यकर्ताओं द्वारा चारो तरफ से हमले सहने एवं कई कार्यकर्ताओं के लहूलुहान होने के बाद भी परिषद हमारा हौसला नहीं टूटेगा। pic.twitter.com/pp8qgAxEN5
— ABVP JNU (@abvpjnu) April 10, 2022
SFI leader caught pelting stones
A group of left-wing students were caught on camera pelting stones at ABVP members. SFI leader Harendra Sheshma was seen among them throwing stones actively.
Left goons pelting stones over Pooja organisers.
— ABVP JNU (@abvpjnu) April 10, 2022
SFI Leader Harendra sheshma in orange tshirt (Video’s 12th second) throwing stones.#LeftViolenceInJNU pic.twitter.com/QGsrgRaDUW
University clarified everyone free to eat, preach and wear anything
The University has clarified in a statement that the students at JNU are free to eat, preach and wear as per their choice. JNU Rector Ajay Dubey said the University had issued immediate notice to avoid any confusion in the matter.
Left-backed students accused ABVP of ruckus
The students of Left student organizations, including AISA and others, have accused ABVP of creating a ruckus on Sunday. Former JNUSU president Sai Balaji said ABVP members stopped the cook at the mess from cooking non-veg food and shooed away the vendor. He further added his group reached the mess as soon as they got the information and gave a written complaint to the dean and the warden for the same.
