Political differences come to fore at Ramjas College

NEWDELHI: The sharp ideological differences that have become synonymous with JNU in the recent past on Wednesday found an echo in the relatively less political campus of Delhi University on Wednesday.

The cancellation of an event by Ramjas literary society led to a protest and counter-protests before descending into violence — something the students had not witnessed in the recent past.

The students and professors were thrashed, misbehaved with and even harassed, allegedly by ABVP supporters. “There have been clashes between students before but what we saw on Tuesday and Wednesday is different. Teachers were hit,” said Delhi University Teachers’ Association president Nandita Narain.

A student of Mata Sundri College, who came to the march in support of Ramjas, was reportedly asked to shout Bharat Mata ki Jai and when she refused, she was beaten up. “... I was stopped by the ABVP members and asked to say Bharat Mata ki jai, when I refused, one woman slapped me... When I asked the police to intervene, they refused,” she said.

ABVP, however, denied allegations of indulging in violence. They said they were attacked by students from the other group. “It was us who were actually beaten up. We were protesting because these people had raised slogans against the nation demanding azadi (freedom) for Kashmir on Tuesday,” Amit Tanwar, DUSU president and ABVP member.

Both sides filed cross complaints though no FIR was filed.

Anirban Kar, a faculty member at Delhi School of Economics, said, “Two years ago, when we screened a documentary on Muzaffarnagar riots, ABVP supporters came and disrupted us. There is a pattern of such ruckus since the ABVP came to power. It is as if we have lost the right to express. Even yesterday, the march was peaceful until ABVP members started pelting stones.”