Violent Clash Erupts at JNU Campus During Durga Idol Immersion: ABVP and Left Groups Trade Accusations

A clash broke out between two groups of students on JNU campus during Dussehra Visarjan Shobha Yatra

New Delhi:

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) claimed on Thursday that Left-affiliated student organizations attacked a Durga idol-immersion procession at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), while Left organizations accused the ABVP of utilizing religion for political propaganda through a Ravan Dahan event.

The JNU administration has not provided an immediate response regarding this incident.

According to a statement released by ABVP, Left groups including AISA, SFI, and DSF "violently attacked" the immersion procession near Sabarmati T-Point around 7 pm. They claimed that multiple male and female students were injured during stone-pelting incidents and were subjected to verbal abuse.

ABVP JNU president Mayank Panchal stated, "This incident represents not only an attack on a religious event but a direct assault on the university's festive tradition and students' faith. The ABVP will not accept such cultural aggression under any circumstances."

ABVP JNU minister Praveen Piyush alleged that "stone-pelting and attacking female students during a sacred ritual like Durga Visarjan is condemnable and shameful" and called for strict administrative action.

JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) joint secretary Vaibhav Meena also condemned the incident, describing it as "a direct assault on the cultural harmony and brotherhood of the university."

However, the Left-affiliated All India Students' Association (AISA) denied these allegations and instead accused the ABVP of "using religion for political propaganda."

In their statement, AISA claimed that ABVP was organizing a Ravan Dahan ceremony in which former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam—both currently under trial in cases related to anti-CAA protests and Delhi riots conspiracy—were being depicted as Ravan.

"This represents a blatant and dastardly display of Islamophobia, exploiting religious sentiments to harvest political benefits," AISA declared.

The organization questioned why ABVP had not chosen figures such as Nathuram Godse, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, or leaders accused of inflammatory speeches during the 2020 Delhi riots.

"JNU rejects the politics of hate and Islamophobia," the AISA statement asserted, urging students to "stand up against the divisive politics of RSS-ABVP."

Both sides exchanged accusations regarding what they described as attempts to "destabilize the campus" and "distort its cultural environment."