New Delhi erupted in controversy once again as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) became the epicenter of heated protests. Following the Supreme Court’s stay on new UGC regulations, a group of left-leaning students gathered near Sabarmati Dhaba to voice their dissent. Around 50 protesters burned an effigy symbolizing Brahminism and chanted ‘Brahminism Murdabad’ slogans, igniting a fierce response from ABVP activists.
ABVP members swiftly countered, emphasizing that JNU is a taxpayer-funded institution, not a factory for destructive rhetoric. Priyanshu, an ABVP affiliate, highlighted how the protests featured calls for the ruin of BJP and RSS, alongside casteist remarks aimed at dividing society. ‘Democracy grants us freedom of speech, but these leftists trample its dignity with inflammatory language,’ he asserted.
Krishna Kant Dwivedi, a PhD scholar at JNU, lambasted the event as shameful. He pointed out the left’s initial support for the UGC rules flipped after the court’s intervention, leading to this outburst. Slogans targeting RSS and BJP volunteers were not just provocative but an attempt to fracture national unity, he argued.
Left-wing organizers from JNUSU claimed the Supreme Court’s decision bolsters Brahminism and Manuvad. As tensions simmer, the clash underscores deepening ideological divides on campus, raising questions about the role of public universities in political discourse. With history of such incidents, JNU remains a flashpoint for India’s polarized student politics.