JNU Clash: In a major development, Jawaharlal Nehru University has again been facing turmoil after two groups of students allegedly indulged in a clash on Sunday night. According to reports, the incident happened when the Left-controlled JNU Students' Union was allegedly attacked by students of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (AVBP) while they were marching inside the campus seeking justice for an IIT Bombay student, Darshan Solanki, who allegedly died by suicide.
However, the ABVP has denied the charge.
The RSS-affiliated ABVP accused the Left-backed student outfits of "insulting" Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) organised seeking justice for Solanki pm Sunday evening.
It is worth mentioning that 18-year-old Solanki belonged to a Scheduled Caste community, allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the seventh floor of a hostel building on the Powai campus of the IIT on February 12.
However, the claims were rebutted by the family members who suspect foul play in his death. They alleged that the student had faced discrimination.
ABVP denies charges
In a statement, the JNUSU said, "ABVP has once again resorted to attacking students. This was done soon after a candlelight march in solidarity with the call by Darshan Solanki's father. ABVP does this once again to derail the movement against caste discrimination." The ABVP denied the charge and accused the "Left group" of removing a garland from a picture of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and throwing it away. The student outfit said it organised a function to mark the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. "Immediately after the programme, the students on the Left came there and removed the garland from the picture and threw it away," the ABVP said in a statement.
Second incident within a month
Earlier last month, a similar clash erupted between students after some left-wing students watched a controversial documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The documentary titled- “India: The Modi Question", allegedly showcased PM Modi in a bad light and questioned his alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. While speaking to media persons, Aishe Ghosh, president of the Left-backed Students' Federation of India, said that the mission was successful as the students had already watched the documentary. The students have also apprehended an alleged ABVP student named Gaurav. Some students alleged that Gaurav had pelted stones when they were watching the documentary.
