NEW DELHI: Tensions escalated at Jawaharlal Nehru University after a protest march demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor turned contentious, with the students’ union and the university administration issuing sharply divergent accounts of the events.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) alleged that students protesting against the Vice-Chancellor’s purported “casteist remarks” were met with violence. The union claimed that stones and bricks were hurled at demonstrators gathered near the SL–SIS Lawn and the East Gate, resulting in injuries. It further accused members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of leading the attack and described the episode as an attempt to suppress dissent.
The JNUSU said it had called for a march seeking an apology and resignation of the Vice-Chancellor, along with the enactment of UGC Equity Regulations and the Rohith Act. The union also announced a proposed “Long March to MHRD” on February 26 and declared a
boycott of classes until its demands are addressed.
However, in an official statement issued on February 23, the JNU administration presented a contrasting narrative. It stated that certain academic buildings were locked by protesting students and that some students were allegedly threatened and pressured to join the agitation. The administration acknowledged a scuffle between two student groups on the night of February 22 and condemned what it termed “unruly behaviour” and damage to public property.
The administration said classes are continuing as scheduled and warned of strict action under university rules and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The episode has again placed JNU at the centre of debate over campus politics and accountability.