Protest Erupts Outside JNU Over Rohith Act & VC Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit's 'Dalit Victim Card' Remark

New Delhi: Fresh protests broke out outside the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), with the demonstrators demanding the enactment of UGC regulations along with the Rohith Act and the resignation of Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit over her alleged casteist remarks at a recent podcast. Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed outside the university campus hours before the march was scheduled by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU).

Demands Of Protesters:

1. Enactment of UGC Regulations
2. Apology from Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit
3. Resignation of Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit
4. Implementation of Rohith Act

Several Delhi Police officials were injured during the protest after protesters allegedly threw stones and shoes at them.

VC's Controversial Remark

During a podcast that was released earlier this month, JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said that Dalits “cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card”.

“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. By making somebody a devil, it is not easy to progress. It is a temporary type of drug."

This caused a massive stir in the university, with JNUSU condemning her “blatantly casteist statements".

The Vice-Chancellor made the remark while speaking about the University Grants Commission (UGC) 2026 regulations that seek to tackle caste-based discrimination on college campuses.