Clashes at JNU during protest against VC; FIR filed

New Delhi: A protest march against JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit over her remarks terming UGC equity regulations "irrational" and "unnecessary" turned violent late Sunday night, with members of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accusing each other of stone-pelting and physical assault, and filing police complaints.The university confirmed that several security personnel were injured in the incident and vowed strict action. The march was called by JNUSU demanding Pandit's apology and resignation after she, in a recent podcast, said Dalits and Black communities "cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card". The union had also sought revocation of the rustication order and fines imposed on Feb 2 against the JNUSU panel and the former JNUSU president for damaging university property in a protest last year.According to JNUSU vice-president K Gopika Babu, students first marched to the VC's residence as part of the "equality juloos"."Thousands of students joined the march. We had said if our demands were not met, we would escalate our protest. When the VC did not come out to address us, we decided to boycott classes and implement a lockdown of the schools until she apologises and resigns," she said.Babu said the strike decision was taken unanimously at a general body meeting after consultations with school and faculty representatives. She denied allegations that students were forced to join the protest."When protestors gathered at the School of Languages lawn, ABVP members started throwing stones and bricks at the encampment site. They abused those protesting against the VC's remarks and physically attacked several students with sticks. Many were injured and left traumatised. Students were forced to take shelter inside the Central Library," JNUSU stated. Babu claimed they had to lock the library doors from inside to prevent themselves from being attacked.ABVP members, however, denied the allegations and claimed they "intervened" after being informed that students were being forced to vacate reading rooms and join the protest.Vaibhav Meena, ABVP member and former JNUSU joint secretary — seen in a video breaking a lock — said, "We were contacted by students who said they were being forced to participate. That is why we broke the lock. You can protest, but you cannot force students to join and disrupt their studies."Meena alleged ABVP members were attacked, and a fire extinguisher was discharged inside a closed room where a student had taken shelter, "suffocating him". He said two ABVP students underwent medical examination and some injured students were taken to hospital. The administration said it had no information of hospitalisation of any student.Videos shared by both groups show masked individuals carrying sticks and stones inside campus premises. TOI could not independently verify the videos.The university administration said several academic buildings were locked by protesting students and some entered Central Library and threatened unwilling students. It said the incidents led to a scuffle between two groups. Classes were continuing as usual, it added.Late Monday, an FIR was registered at Vasant Kunj (North police station against JNUSU members under sections 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2)(wrongful restraint), 191(2)(rioting), 189 (2) (unlawful assembly), 121(1) (causing hurt to deter public servant from duty), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of BNS and Section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, dealing with "mischief causing damage to public property".