Stalin condemns attack on Tamil students at JNU, calls for strict action

Adding that universities are not just spaces of learning but also for debate, discussion and dissent, Stalin accused the Delhi Police and the JNU security of being “mute spectators” to the violence unleashed by those critical of the Union government.

The securities of JNU & Delhi Police have time and again turned mute spectators to the violence unleashed on students who fight for their rights & are critical of the Union BJP regime.

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) February 20, 2023

“I express my solidarity with the students & request VC to initiate action against the culprits and protect students from Tamil Nadu,” Stalin added.

Stalin’s tweets came after a clash between the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) and ABVP at the university.

Reacting to the series of tweets, state BJP president K Annamalai said Stalin was falling for “fake narratives” of his party’s IT wing. Annamalai then put out a series of tweets describing the events that led to the clash, and adding that Stalin was still silent on the death of an armyman following an assault allegedly by a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) councillor.

DMK MLA T R B Rajaa, meanwhile, put out a video Tuesday in which Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin can be seen talking to a student who was allegedly attacked by the ABVP at the university.

மாண்புமிகு இளைஞர் நலன் மற்றும் விளையாட்டு மேம்பாட்டுத் துறை அமைச்சர் திரு. @Udhaystalin அவர்கள் நேற்று பா.ஜ.க.வின் மாணவர் அமைப்பான #ABVP அமைப்பினரால் தாக்குதலுக்குள்ளான, டெல்லி #JNU பல்கலைக் கழக மாணவர்களை தொலைப்பேசி வாயிலாக தொடர்பு கொண்டு பேசினார் 🙏🏾
பாசிசம் விரைவில் ஒழியும் !!! https://t.co/sivc7Bb231 pic.twitter.com/9tCPcotkhO

— Dr. T R B Rajaa (@TRBRajaa) February 21, 2023

The JNUSU Sunday alleged ABVP members attacked students soon after a candlelight march seeking justice for IIT Bombay student Darshan Solanki, who died by suicide last week. The ABVP denied the allegations and accused the JNUSU of insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Members of the ABVP and the Left-leaning Hundred Flowers Group (HFG) had allegedly been in a tussle Sunday night at the JNUSU office, called Teflas, over the screening of 1983 Bollywood film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, a satirical black comedy.

The university administration Monday released an official notice stating, “Any activity in the premises of the Inter-Hall-Administration, including all hostels, student activity centre (Teflas) and sports grounds would require formal permission of the Dean of Students.”