Hours after the incident of stone pelting happened inside the Jawaharlal Nehru campus during the screening of BBC’s documentary movie, the Delhi Police claimed to have received complaints from both ABVP and JNUSU students alleging each other of indulging in stone pelting and violence.
The JNU Student Union (JNUSU) alleged that while the students were watching the documentary, “India : The Modi Question”, peacefully, students from ABVP pelted stones leaving several of them injured. ABVP students refuted the charges and claimed the opposite.
The ABVP students also alleged that some of the JNU students including their members – Gaurav and Vikas – were manhandled and held hostage by the left students for hours inside the campus.
A Delhi Police officer has confirmed to The New Indian that they have received complaints from both sides. He also said the police is contemplating on filing the FIR and will collect the CCTV and other video evidences to establish the charges. The complaints were received at Vasant Kunj (north) police station.
What ABVP claim?
ABVP president Rohit Kumar told The New Indian : “We have filed a complaint before the police on heckling of our students by left. We also in principal object to the screening of the movie but none of our students indulged in any sort of violence or stone pelting.”
The ABVP released a statement stating, “The whole country is going to celebrate Republic Day after two days. India has got the presidency of G20. When so many positive things are happening in India, how can leftist organizations that spread negativity remain calm? In such a situation, they are playing tricks to realize the agenda of colonialist Britishers in the country.”
It further said “When we are remembering the forgotten heroes of India on the occasion of the Amrit Mahotsav of this Independence, when our country is touching new heights of success, then these anti-nationals are having trouble fathoming how so many good things are happening in this country?”
What JNUSU claim?
Meanwhile, JNUSU also released a statement and said: “JNUSU had organised the screening of India: The Modi Question on Tuesday at Teflas at 9pm. Just thirty minutes before the scheduled screening time, electric connection to the entire JNU campus strangely failed.”
“Nevertheless students gathered at the venue for the screening with their laptops and bluetooth speakers. The students had resolved to watch the documentary despite numerous obstacles. While the students were peacefully watching the documentary on laptops, ABVP goons suddenly started pelting stones and broken glass bottles at the the students in the dark,” said the statement.
“The students somehow escaped from the venue and marched towards the main gate in protest of hooliganism. Even during the peaceful protest of the students, ABVP goons repeatedly pelted stones and attacked numerous students. Several female students were harassed amidst the growing chaos,” JNUSU statement reads.
AISA JNU unit strongly condemns this shameful act of hooliganism by the ABVP. The democratic voice of the students will rage on against fascist politics of BJP – RSS, it added.