JNU violence: FIR registered against unknown ABVP students

NEWS DESK: WORTHEUM: PUBLISHED BY, AMRENDRA PRATAP , 11 Apr 2022, 09:50 AM IST
A clash between two student groups over a hostel mess serving chicken for dinner on the occasion of Ram Navmi left at least six injured

An injured student after the clash. (WORTHEUM)

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Monday said they have registered a first information report (FIR) against unknown Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members in connection with Sunday’s clash at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

The clash between two student groups over a hostel mess serving chicken for dinner on the occasion of Ram Navmi left at least six injured.

Deputy police commissioner (southwest) Manoj C said they received a complaint from a group of students from Jawaharlal Nehru Students Union (JNUSU), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the Democratic Students’ Federation, and All India Students’ Association on Monday. He added they accordingly registered the FIR under Indian Penal Code’s Sections including 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation) 34 (common intention). “Further investigation is on to collect factual, scientific evidence and identify the culprits.”

Manoj C said students belonging to ABVP have also been intimated that they will be giving their complaint on Monday. “On receipt of the same, necessary appropriate legal action will be taken.”

On Sunday, JNUSU chief and SFI member Aishe Ghosh alleged AVBP members created a ruckus and assaulted residents of Kaveri Hostel mess over the cooking of chicken on Sunday.

ABVP alleged members of Left-wing student outfits disrupted a prayer ceremony organised on the occasion of Ram Navmi by shouting slogans. Till late Sunday night, Left groups stood outside Vasant Kunj police station demanding to meet Manoj C.

According to students, AVBP members first objected to chicken being served as part of the dinner menu and then assaulted members of the mess committee.

“As per the pre-decided mess menu, non-vegetarian food is cooked for non-vegetarian students on Sunday, and paneer is prepared for vegetarian students. ABVP students, however, raised objections to the preparation of non-vegetarian food on Ram Navmi. They said that they were organising a Ram Navmi event around the hostel and will ensure that no non-vegetarian food is cooked,” said a first-year PhD student, who asked not to be named.
He said when the mess committee members were collecting meat from a vendor around 4 pm, some ABVP members objected.

JNUSU secretary Madhurima Kundu alleged ABVP members assaulted her. There were also allegations of stone-throwing but this could not be verified.

Rohit Kumar, president of the JNU unit of ABVP, said no member of the outfit was involved. He said some residents of the Kaveri Hostel planned a Ram Navmi pooja on Sunday which was disrupted by members of Left-wing outfits. “The poster for the pooja had been put up three days ago. Since then, some members of JNUSU and Left-leaning outfits were saying that they will not allow the event to take place on the campus. The pooja was delayed since students were raising slogans,” said Kumar. He added the ABVP was only standing in solidarity with the students who were performing the prayers.
In a statement, the JNUSU, which is controlled by the Left outfits, said ABVP members created a “violent atmosphere” at Kaveri Hostel. “They are forcing and attacking the mess committee to change the dinner menu and exclude the usual non-vegetarian items in it for all students. The menu has food items for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian students who can consume it based on their personal choice.”

In a letter to the dean on Sunday, members of the Kaveri Hostel and the mess committee said despite the fact that the menu for April 10 was pre-decided by the committee through hostel general body meetings, a group of people arbitrarily asked the mess manager to not cook chicken on Sunday.

“The mess manager complied without informing the mess and hostel committee. The vendor who came to deliver chicken to the Kaveri Hostel was verbally abused, threatened, and manhandled. Students from outside of Kaveri Hostel (non-residents) verbally abused and physically assaulted hostel committee members,” the letter said.
AMRENDRA PRATAP