Several students, including members of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), were detained after clashes erupted during a march by students to the Union Ministry of Education, demanding that Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit resign for her allegedly casteist remarks.
The protesting students are upset over the remarks made by Pandit on a podcast regarding the implementation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms, the rustication of JNUSU office bearers, and the proposed Rohith Act.
Police and JNU students were injured in the clashes. The police said that they were assaulted, but the protesters alleged that the cops used excessive force against them.
Saying protesters pelted sticks and shoes and resorted to physical assault, injuring several cops, some of whom were even "bitten" during the altercation, police lodged an FIR against the students.
Police said around 25 police personnel, including ACP Ved Prakash, ACP Sanghamitra, SHO Atul Tyagi, and SHO Ajai Yadav, were injured.
"Yesterday, they (students) were told and authorities tried to reason with them that they should conduct any protests inside the campus, not outside, as they have not been granted any permission. However, they were also informed today that if they wanted to take a delegation, they could be facilitated. However, they ignored all these requests, gathered four to five hundred people, broke the gate, and came out around 3.00 pm, insisting that they would march outside for a protest. They were then requested again, repeatedly, not to take the law into their own hands and to return inside... But they refused to listen and even attacked the police. Many of our staff members were injured there, and the protestors tried to go out by breaking the barricades," DCP South West district, Amit Goel, was quoted as saying.
"During that time, in self-defence and to stop them from moving forward, our staff detained some of their protesters, of whom around 51 were detained," he added.
JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aditi Mishra and former president Nitish Kumar were among the 51 protesters detained.
The march was part of the ongoing protests over X.
The protesters also alleged that excessive force was used against them, as a result of which many students were injured. Some of the protesters were taken to "unconfirmed locations" by the police, claimed the university's teachers' body.
The JNUSU also alleged that a portrait of B.R. Ambedkar was damaged during the police action. Purported videos of the clash surfaced online, including one showing an Ambedkar photo being snatched from the protesters.
"Yesterday, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) gave a call for a long march from Sabarmati T-Point to the Ministry of Education. The police had put up heavy barricading — nearly five layers of barricades were installed. The police detained the protesters using force and took around 51 people to the police station at night..." a student leader was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
According to police, the JNU administration had informed the protesting students that no permission had been granted for any protest outside the campus and advised them to restrict their demonstration within university premises. Despite this, around 400–500 students gathered on campus and began a protest march, they said. Around 3.20 pm, the protesters moved out through the main gate and attempted to proceed towards the ministry, reported news agency PTI.
"Barricades placed outside the campus were damaged as the situation escalated. The protesters pelted banners and sticks, threw shoes, and resorted to physical assault. Some police personnel were bitten during the scuffle, resulting in injuries to several officers deployed at the spot," a senior police officer said.
Police personnel stopped the protesters at the North Gate of the JNU campus and gradually pushed them back inside the university premises.
"We have detained some of the protestors. Some protestors are levelling allegations that police manhandled them, which are completely baseless. Every single officer deputed there was maintaining law and order," the officer told PTI.
In a statement issued, the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) condemned what it said was the "brutal use of force" by police. It alleged that several students, including women, were injured and expressed concern over the well-being of those detained, claiming some were taken to "unconfirmed locations."
JNUTA also alleged that the police action was aimed at preventing students from exercising their democratic right to march and demanded the immediate release of all detained students.
The JNUSU issued an urgent appeal asking supporters to gather at the JNU main gate in the evening as many students had been detained by the police.
The university, in an official statement, said, "JNUSU protestors are demanding UGC regulations to be implemented. This is in violation of the Honourable Supreme Court, which has issued a stay on the regulations. The JNU Vice Chancellor or Registrar has no powers over the regulations."
It added that as per the university administration, JNUSU has "refused to address the core issue of students who were rusticated for "vandalism and violence" unleashed inside the campus."
"The students involved were held responsible and rusticated, following a proctorial inquiry," read the statement.
"JNU is a public university, hence accountable to the government, the Parliament, and the Indian taxpayers. It is deplorable that a woman OBC Vice Chancellor is instead attacked on false allegations, only to divert from the issue of violence and vandalism of public property," the university said in its statement.
