Ram Navami clash: “Outsiders restricted the chicken supplier, leading to conflict amongst students”, says JNU VC

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, in a latest media interview reacted to the recent clash between two student groups on the campus. The clashes allegedly occurred over serving the non-vegetarian food at the Kaveri Hostel mess on Ram Navami, on Sunday.

The left-leaning student body alleged the ABVP of attacking students and assaulting the mess secretary for serving non-vegetarian food on the occasion of Ram Navami. On the other hand, ABVP alleged that the left-wing students thrashed its members with tube lights and iron rods.

When asked if students were stopped from having the non-veg food, JNU VC Pandit said that the university follows a democratic method to function and that the college administration does not decide the menu for the student mess. She told that the mess committee including the student staying in the hostel and the mess secretary decides the menu for the hostel themselves.

“There was no such incident reported from across the 16 mess in the JNU campus during the Ram Navami festival except Kaveri Hostel. Though as soon as the news of this clash reached the administration, it was made clear to the students that there is restrictions on the food choices, and students can eat whatever they like”, she added.

#EXCLUSIVE: जेएनयू में छात्रों के बीच बार-बार टकराव क्यों?
VC प्रो शांतीश्री डी पंडित बोलीं, “जब बदलाव होता है तो resistance भी होता है.”#JNU #Delhi | @anjanaomkashyap pic.twitter.com/bPbYNS8roE

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She further said that both Iftaar and Havans were conducted in the campus peacefully on April 10. She also claimed that it was fringe elements from outside of college who stopped the chicken supplier, which eventually led to a conflict among the student groups.

Pandit said that the JNU administration has conducted a proctorial inquiry and is expected to submit its report to the institute soon. “Once the inquiry is completed, we’ll know better about what led to the clash on April 10”, she said.