By R. Shabimunna
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students’ Union has an office named ‘Deplas’ in its campus. In this, students screen films and important documentaries for themselves from time to time.
The student organization ‘110 Flowers’ screened the Hindi film ‘Jaane Bi To Yaaro’ yesterday at 9 pm. For this purpose, they took down the pictures of about 30 leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar, Periyar on the wall. The screen was fixed at that place and the film started playing on it. Around 15 members of JNU’s ABVP student organization came there. Since that day was Veeresivaji’s birthday, a garlanded picture of him was placed below. Questioning this, they started attacking the people there. In this sudden attack, Thoothukudi research student S. Nassar sustained a head injury and started bleeding. Another Tamil Nadu student was also injured. Some students from Kerala, Andhra and northern states were also attacked.
Then they defaced Periyar’s picture beyond recognition and wrote various words on the wall. Nassar, a student who was undergoing treatment at Saptarjung Hospital, told the Hindu Tamil Vektik newspaper, “Since 2020, ABVP organizations have carried out many such attacks. Nowadays there is an increase in attacking the students of southern states saying why they are coming here for education from south India. Last month they attacked the Kerala students who had built a fire pit. We are not safe even if a Tamil comes as Vice Chancellor. So far no action has been taken against ABVP either. On behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, we have given Rs 5 crore to Tamil Thurai and we have complained to the Vice Chancellor Chandisree Pandit that this is the situation.
JNU is known for its left wing students. Right-wing students are also considered to be dominant now. It is said that due to this, bilateral conflicts have increased.