JNU president Nitish Kumar reported rising tensions after posters of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid’s effigies emerged online for a planned “Ravan Dahan.”

New Delhi :  During a ‘Visarjan Shobha Yatra’ held to commemorate Vijayadashami , a violent altercation broke out at Jawaharlal Nehru University ,JNU leaving the campus restless and split along ideological lines. Both student groups accused the other of provocation during their rival symbolic displays, which led to the altercation.

JNU : The Shobha Yatra. ‘Ravan Dahan’

A symbolic “Ravan Dahan” was held at Sabarmati Dhaba by the university’s Students’ Union as part of the Vijayadashami festivities, according to JNUSU Joint Secretary Vaibhav Meena. Effigies and posters of people connected to the Left or Naxal movements, such as Charu Majumdar, G Sai Baba, Sharjeel Imam, Afzal Guru, and Umar Khalid, were burned at the ceremony.

The purpose of this act, according to Meena, was to symbolically oppose what he called “Naxal-like forces” on campus. Following the burning of the effigy, students and Durga idols participated in a “Visarjan Shobha Yatra” throughout the campus.

Leftist organizations launch a counter-protest

However, the act was deemed very controversial by student organizations with a left-leaning affiliation. The organizers were accused of portraying political activist former JNU students Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid as bad characters.

According to JNUSU President Nitish Kumar, the conflict started when posters featuring effigies of Khalid and Imam from a “Ravan Dahan” went viral online. He claimed, “They are attempting to burn those who stood up for democracy and human rights, not Godse’s effigy.”

Activists who supported constitutional rights were allegedly targeted by the opposing section, according to left student organizations that had gathered at Sabarmati Tea Point for their own protest.

JNU : clash in the procession

When the procession of Durga Visarjan passed by the protest location, tensions increased. Students taking part in the Yatra were injured, Meena said, when members of Left organizations threw shoes and slippers at them. Regarding the incident, he said, the students’ organization would lodge a police report.

Rising tensions and conflicting narratives

One group claimed to have blocked a religious procession, while the other group accused former students and activists of defamation, and both sides blamed one another for starting the conflict. Deep-seated ideological differences at JNU are brought to light by the altercation, since college politics often reflect national discussions.

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Students are accusing one another of inciting violence and interfering with cultural events, which is likely to lead to police action. The event served as a reminder of how easily religious celebrations at JNU can turn into ideological hot spots.