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‘Disturbing… unruly behaviour’: JNU slams student protest over V-C’s remarks; Left, ABVP trade charges over violence

Over a hundred students escalated demonstrations against V-C Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit over remarks she made in a recent podcast interview and the rustication of elected office-bearers of the JNU Students’ Union.

4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 23, 2026 08:43 PM IST

Over a hundred students marched from Sabarmati T Point to the East Gate near the Vice-Chancellor’s residence

Taking “serious cognizance” of what it described as “disturbing incidents” on campus, referring to Sunday night’s student protests against the Vice-Chancellor that turned violent, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration Monday “condemned the unruly behaviour… aimed at repeated destruction of public property and its inclusive ethos”.

It claimed “several academic buildings… were reportedly locked by a group of protesting students”. The administration claimed protesters had entered the Central Library and “reportedly threatened unwilling students, intimidated them to join the protest,” leading to “a scuffle between two student groups…”

The university said “strict action under the University’s rules and regulations and under BNS is being taken, adding that “presently, all classes and other activities are being conducted”.

The protest against V-C Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit over alleged “casteist” remarks she made in a recent podcast interview and rustication of elected office-bearers of the JNU Students’ Union had spiralled, with both the Left-led students’ union and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accusing each other of violence and alleged stone-pelting.

Left-affiliated student groups alleged ABVP members initiated the violence. They also described the events as a “massive attack on the ongoing students’ movement,” alleging that protesters were isolated and assaulted. ABVP, however, rejected those claims and accused Left activists of allegedly attacking women students.

ABVP State Joint Secretary, Vikas Patel, alleged that in a bid to force students to participate in the rally, Left activists began locking reading rooms, classrooms and the library. “… we were informed that some students were trapped inside the School of Social Studies building… when we went to break them out, a mob of 150-200 students began attacking us…,” he alleged.

However, members of the JNUSU denied the ABVP’s claims. “When thousands of students gathered at the SL-SIS Lawn, members of the ABVP began throwing stones and bricks at the encampment site. They abused those protesting against the V-C’s remarks and attacked several students with sticks… students were forced to take shelter inside the Central Library,” alleged JNUSU President Aditi.

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The protest followed a JNUSU statement on Friday demanding the V-C’s resignation, objecting in particular to her criticism of the University Grants Commission’s new equity regulations, which she described as “totally unnecessary”, “irrational”, and an example of “wokeism”.

In the interview, Pandit had said, “You cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card. This was done for the Blacks; the same thing was brought for Dalits here.”

Responding to the controversy, Pandit had told PTI that her remarks had been taken out of context and rejected the allegation that they were casteist. “I am a Bahujan myself, I come from an OBC background,” she said.

On Monday, the JNUSU also called for a human chain against “violence by ABVP goons”.

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The JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) also expressed concern over the incident. “The JNUTA is specially concerned that the ‘leadership’ of Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is increasingly resembling… that of the previous V-C — and that she is now taking a leaf out of the playbook of Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, which had led to the… January 2020 violence… Seen in this background, her statements on caste in the interview were not really surprising… While reiterating its demand that the JNU V-C must go, JNUTA appeals to all to maintain restraint…,” it said in a statement.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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