ABVP, Left groups clash at JNU meet

Tension flared at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) School of Social Sciences (SSS) on Wednesday during a School General Body Meeting (GBM), as members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-affiliated student groups accused each other of violence and disruption.

According to the ABVP, a Left-affiliated councillor made “discriminatory and derogatory” remarks against students from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and those associated with the ABVP, saying they “don’t deserve to be in JNU.” The organisation alleged that when its members protested peacefully, they were attacked by Left-aligned students, leaving several injured, including female students.

The ABVP condemned the incident, terming it a “direct attack on the democratic and intellectual traditions of JNU.” JNUSU joint secretary Vaibhav Meena said, “Differences of opinion are natural, but responding to disagreement with violence and regional hatred goes against the spirit of democracy.” He added that attacking female students was “shameful and against the decorum of a prestigious institution like JNU.”

However, Left groups, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA), presented a contrasting version. In a counter statement, they accused ABVP members of “hooliganism and physical assault” during the GBM, claiming that ABVP activists “heckled councillors, snatched phones and attacked students,” including a woman who was “grabbed by her throat.” They said several students were injured and are receiving treatment at Safdarjung Hospital.

AISA further alleged that the ABVP had disrupted multiple school GBMs in the run-up to the upcoming student union elections, calling it an attempt to “derail democratic processes.”

Both groups have demanded action and accused each other of undermining campus democracy. The university administration has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.