ABVP, SFS at daggers drawn in PU

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 3

Reduced to a battleground of two opposing political ideologies, the Student Centre of Panjab University (PU) today witnessed a protest that was a testament to the growing polarity between the right and Left-leaning student organisations — ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) and SFS (Students for Society) — on campus.

Both parties raised slogans against each other, following two incidents of violence, one where SFS members were accused of attacking an ABVP supporter and the other where ABVP affiliates allegedly attacked an SFS comrade. The bone of contention, reportedly, was a “lewd” social media post against the SFS by ABVP representative Divyansh Sharma, who “refused to apologise”. As a fallout, on Saturday night, the ABVP representative was attacked at Hostel No 3 by eight men. The police booked the unidentified assailants under Sections 147, 149 and 506 of the IPC.

The following day, SFS member Antarpreet Singh was allegedly attacked by ABVP supporters outside Boys’ Hostel No 1. Students for Society (SFS) president Varinder said an FIR had been registered against the culprits.

The ABVP protested against the assault on Divyansh Sharma while the SFS protested against the anti-woman and misogynist comments of the ABVP on Instagram. More than 100 students were witness to this.

University ABVP president Harish Gujjar said: “These Leftists have a history of violence in their resume.” Party secretary Priya Sharma said: “They talk of democracy and law and order, but won’t follow it themselves.” Party’s Chandigarh convener Parwinder Singh Katora expressed: “These people need to be taught a lesson and we believe our law system will do justice to our injured activist.”

Meanwhile, the SFS claimed that ABVP’s social media comments came after the students held a rally in university against the CAA-NRC on December 19. PSU Lalkaar and Bekhauf Azadi expressed solidarity with the SFS. Amandeep from PSU Lalkaar said: “Anti-woman acts will not be tolerated by students in our university. The ABVP inherited such mentality from their bosses in the RSS-BJP.”

Bekhauf Azadi spokesperson Arpan appealed to the girls of the university to assert their spaces in university politics and reiterated that women must retaliate against such comments. Raman, speaking on behalf of the SFS, said: “Actions of constant threatening on the social media and posting misogynistic comments by the members of these fascist forces will be fought back always.”