Clash Pre-Planned, Claim Both Sides

ABVP Claims Attack On Right To Religion, JNUSU Alleges Meat Vendor Heckled

- Shinjini Ghosh & Manash Pratim Gohain

New Delhi: A day after violent clashes broke out at Jawaharlal Nehru University over non-vegetarian food being served at Kaveri hostel, where a Ram Navmi puja had been organised, both the JNU Students’ Union and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad levelled allegations of a “pre-planned attack” against one another.

The university administration said in a statement on Monday that the hostel warden had clarified that there was no bar on serving non-vegetarian food on Sunday and that some students had objected to the puja. The statement added that vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit visited the hostel on Sunday night to take stock of the situation.

“It was the occasion of Ram Navmi and a havan was organised by the students in Kaveri hostel and there were students who were objecting to this. The wardens and dean of students tried to pacify them and the havan was concluded peacefully. Despite this, some students were not happy and soon after, at the time of dinner, a ruckus was created and heated arguments were followed by an altercation between the groups,” the statement read.

It added, “We appeal to everyone to exercise restraint and let the academic environment flourish in JNU without external disturbances.”