VHP march seeking support for Ram temple event enters JNU, administration says not aware

THE PROCESSION OF TRUCKS, SUVS AND MOTORCYCLES WAS TAKEN OUT ON EVE OF BABRI DEMOLITION ANNIVERSARY

NEW DELHI: A group of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) supporters took out a procession through the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Wednesday morning, seeking support for their event “vishal dharam sabha” to be held at Ramlila Ground on December 9, for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The procession comprising trucks, SUVS and motorcycles was taken out on the eve of the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary. Prior permission is needed for any person or procession to enter the campus.

JNU public relations officer Poonam Kudaisya said the administration was unaware of any such procession. “All officials were busy with the JNU court meeting on Wednesday. We are not aware of the rally or procession,” she said.

In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, a group wearing saffron caps and waving saffron flags was seen shouting slogans passing through the campus. The trucks had VHP banners inviting people to the “vishal dharam sabha”.

Eyewitnesses said the group entered from the Saraswati Puram gate, next to the main gate, around 8.30am. “They raised slogans such as ‘Ram lalla ayenge, mandir yahi banaenge’. They crossed our hostel around 8.45am,” a PHD student, residing at Satluj hostel, said.

VHP leader Bachhan Singh said their volunteers were taking out such processions across the city. “It is to mobilise people for our event to be held at the Ramlila Ground. We do not keep a record of places where they go,” he said.

The JNU unit of Rss-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), however, confirmed that the procession passed through the campus and that they supported it. “There was nothing communal about the rally. If any- one is democratically taking out the Ram Sankalp procession, then it’s their right,” Saurabh Sharma, ABVP’S JNU coordinator, said.

The university’s students’ union (JNUSU), which is run by Left parties, called the procession a “breach of campus security” and asked the authorities to file a police complaint.

N Sai Balaji, president, JNUSU, said, “It is impossible for any outsider to enter the campus without an insider’s reference. The only other way is by breaching the security.”

“If the administration is saying that they don’t know about the procession, then they are lying. We had submitted a complaint to the vice-chancellor’s office. JNUSU demands the administration file a case against these intruders... and that the V-C take necessary action against the agency which is mandated with JNU’S security and the chief security officer,” he said.

Despite several attempts, JNU vice-chancellor Jagadesh Kumar, registrar Pramod Kumar and rector Chintamani Mahapatra did not respond to the HT’S calls and texts.