New Delhi: Amidst the calls for a ban on non-veg food, two student groups clashed in the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus’ Kaveri hostel, news agency PTI reported.
On Sunday afternoon, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) alleged the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members of disrupting mess activities and stopping students from eating non-veg food.
In the evening the issue took a violent turn when JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh shared pictures of students being injured by the stone-pelting of ABVP members. However, ABVP denied the allegations saying that “leftists” obstructed a puja program organsied at the hostel on the occasion of Ram Navmi.
According to a report by PTI, both sides accused each other of pelting stones and causing injuries.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Manoj C confirmed to PTI that some students have sustained injuries.
"There is no violence as of now. A protest was held which is over. We are all positioned here with our team. At the request of the university, we have come here. We are trying to maintain peace," he said
He said the details of the incident will be shared later.
Meanwhile, Aishe Ghosh shared a video on Twitter claiming that some students “faced serious wounds.”
“Friends, ABVP does it again. First they tried to impose non veg ban to everybody in Kaveri Hostel, and when common students stood up against #FoodFascism, the Sanghi goons resorted to all out violence. Students are facing serious wounds,” Ghosh wrote on her Twitter.
All India Student’s Association president N Sai Balaji also shared a video on Twitter asking what would the administration do.
“ABVP hooligans stopping Kaveri hostel residents having non Veg food for dinner. Will JNU VC condemn ABVP hooliganism? Is it her vision to curtail students choice of food? ABVP assualted the mess secretary. Time to stand against these vandals. The idea of India is under attack,” he wrote.
Talking to PTI, JNUSU alleged that the mess committee was being forced by the ABVP members to change the dinner menu for the hostel.
"They were forcing and attacking the mess committee to change the dinner menu and exclude the usual non-vegetarian items in it for all students," it alleged.
"JNU and its hostels are meant to be inclusive spaces for all and not one particular section," it said.
The ABVP rejected the claims saying that the “Leftists” disrupted a puja in the hostel at 3:30 pm.
"Some common students had organised a pooja and havan programme on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami at 3:30 PM at Kaveri hostel.
"This pooja was joined by a large number of common students of JNU. The Leftists came to object, obstruct and prevent the pooja from happening. They have created a false ruckus on the issue of 'Right to Food' (Non-Vegetarian Food)," they said.