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Jawaharlal Nehru University witnessed fresh controversy after midnight sloganeering against the Prime Minister and Home Minister, following the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
Midnight Protests Rock JNU Campus Again
New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has once again found itself at the center of political and ideological controversy. A tense atmosphere prevailed on the JNU campus late Monday night after the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the alleged conspiracy case related to the Delhi riots. A group of students raised slogans against the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, videos of which went viral on social media.
The sloganeering occurred on the anniversary of the JNU violence on January 5th, 2020. JNUSU President Aditi Mishra stated that it was an ideological protest and not a personal attack against any individual. She stated that the university has a tradition of dissent and protest. However, political rhetoric intensified after the video surfaced.
BJP leaders took a strong stance on the incident. Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that some people have turned JNU into a hub of the "tukde-tukde gang." He alleged that these people do not believe in the Supreme Court and the country's institutions and that such elements should be prosecuted for treason. Meanwhile, the police say that no formal complaint has been filed yet and the situation is under control.
On January 5, 2020, masked individuals entered the JNU campus and attacked students and teachers. Approximately 28 people, including Student Union President Aishe Ghosh, were injured in the attack using sticks, stones, and iron rods. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and raised questions about the role of the Delhi Police.
JNU has witnessed numerous clashes over the burning of Ravana during Dussehra. Different student organizations have accused each other of hurting religious sentiments and inciting violence. In 2016, a major controversy erupted over the imposition of faces of ministers and public figures on Ravana effigies.
JNU Protest: 28 students detained amid campus clashes- What sparked the violence?
JNU's ideological conflicts are not new. In 1983, violence escalated to such an extent that the university was closed for a year. In 2016, slogans like "Bharat tere tukde honge" sparked a nationwide debate. Even after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, controversies arose over separatist slogans.
JNU, while a prestigious center of education and research, has also been a battlefield of ideological conflict for decades. The clash between left-wing and right-wing ideologies has repeatedly brought it to the center of national debate. The current developments have once again raised the question of how to balance freedom of expression and law and order on campus.
