The Hindu : Violent clashes between JNU student factions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 13, 2002

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Violent clashes between JNU student factions

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI AUG. 12. The tension that prevailed in Jawaharlal Nehru University during the "Guru Dakshina'' ceremony of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Saturday gave way to violent clashes between rival student factions later in the night.

The makings of an unpleasant finish to the RSS' donation ceremony was very much on the cards when a sizeable number of protesters cobbled together by the JNU Students Union indulged in hectic sloganeering against the presence of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad General Secretary, Ashok Singhal, on the campus. Also, they were peeved at the administration allowing a political function within the premises of the Administration Block.

Mr. Singhal's approximately 90 minute stay -- which was also his first visit to JNU -- had provoked many but it was the secrecy of the function and the tight security which almost saved the day for the administration. In fact, the VHP leader left campus safely even as protesters roared in the background.

The security breathed a sigh of relief, the police returned and the protesters trooped back to the JNUSU office. Then, according to officials, a mob appeared from nowhere and attacked the protesters. These apparently numbered about 50 and many of them were said to be outsiders.

What followed has shocked the campus. Students hurled blows and kicks at each other, the JNUSU office was damaged, women too were not spared and apart from the physical abuse, they were the chief targets of the abusive language that marked the scene. "It is rare to see JNU students being physically violent with each other and that too on ideological matters,'' admitted the Dean of Students, M.H. Qureshi.

Three students including the JNUSU vice-president, Rohit, and general secretary, Ginu Oomen, had to be hopitalised after the incident. Medico-legal cases were made out and a FIR was lodged at the Vasant Vihar police station by the JNUSU. The Union has also demanded expulsion of five students including two former JNUSU office-bearers -- Sandeep Mohapatra and Shiv Shakti Nath Bakshi -- from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

Later, the ABVP countered the claims of JNUSU by lodging an FIR against the Union members for assaulting its members. Investigations into both the complaints are on and police has been posted outside the JNU main gate as a precautionary measure.

The Vice-Chancellor, G.K. Chadha, has ordered an inquiry under the Chief Proctor.

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