ABVP ‘nationalism’ violence on the rise
NEWDELHI: Some of the top educational institutions in the country like Delhi’s Ramjas College have seen violent clashes in recent years with right wing student organisations creating ruckus to oppose those they perceive as “anti-nationals”.
Cases have been registered against students and university authorities have taken action against faculty who invited the so-called ‘anti-national’ speakers. The common refrain in all these incidents is that the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad will not allow “anti-national forces” on campuses and will take the law into its own hands. Here’s a look at the violent ways of the ABVP on campuses: inviting Menon for the February 3 function. Vice-chancellor RP Singh also hinted that her services could be terminated after the inquiry committee submits its report. the soldiers in bad light” and termination of services of the faculty members.
The university issued a warning to two faculty members including assistant professor Snehsata Manav, who read the epilogue highlighting rapes and extra-judicial killings of oppressed people. “I am being victimised in the name of the pride of armed forces,” Snehsata told HT. supporting ‘Azad Kashmir’ and three months later they did not allow them to stage a documentary on Muzaffarnagar riots. Justifying their action, Subir Haldar, ABVP state vice-president, said: “We will deal strongly with antinational forces and the students are with us. If there is aggression from the Leftists we will counter it in a fitting manner”. of five Dalit research scholars and became a national issue when Rohith Vemula committed suicide in his hostel room in January last year.
ABVP activists continued with their aggression in the name of ‘anti-national forces’ and attacked research scholar Amol Singh (25) from Patiala in Punjab for attending a meeting to express solidarity with Kashmiri youth injured by pellets.
No ABVP member has been arrested for any of these assaults. The university in March 2016 suspended an associate professor Dr Sreya Bhattacharji for inviting a former JNU professor, who the ABVP had branded as anti-national.
The local unit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had threatened to create ruckus if MN Panini arrived at the campus to speak at a function to commemorate the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.
Panini, however, did not turn up after the vice-chancellor requested him to cancel the visit. But, the university suspended Bhattacharji who had invited him. Her suspension was later revoked.