JNU does not impose food choices on students, has zero tolerance for violence: Vice-Chancellor

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit on Wednesday said that the university doesn't impose food choices on students and stressed that they can debate and agitate but should not indulge in violence.

Her comments came days after two groups clashed allegedly over the serving of non-vegetarian food in a hostel mess where a puja had been organised by some students on the Ram Navami festival.

"It is very unfortunate that the university is being identified because of some fringe groups. I am as nationalistic as anyone else and they are all nationalists," she told reporters to queries on university students being called "anti-national" by certain sections after some controversial incidents.

Talking about April 10 violence, she said that there are 17 hostels in the university and in 16 of those, everything went on peacefully with the iftar and the Ram Navami puja being organised together.

There were objections only to one of the festivities and that is "where I am told the whole conflict started", the V-C said.

"That was sorted and it was decided that the non-vegetarian food will be cooked after the havan. The chicken vendor came to supply and he was stopped," she said.

The V-C also said students from both sides have submitted mobile videos and there is no CCTV footage.

Students had objected to the installation of CCTV cameras a few years back and even removed CCTV cameras.

She said that there is no "independent footage'' of the incident.

Pandit said that the varsity respects the food choices of students.

"The university does not impose any food choice on any student. It is one's personal right and a fundamental right," she told reporters.

"We have zero tolerance towards violence. Debate, discuss, agitate but students should not indulge in violence," the VC said.

Noting that violence also impacts students' careers, she said that battles should be fought "intellectually and not physically".

Pandit also met members of the student outfits, including the ABVP, on Wednesday.