In JNU, ABVP protest over non-veg food on Ram Navami; accuse Left, NSUI of opposing pooja

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, on Sunday protested at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, demanding that non-vegetarian food should not be prepared in the mess on the occasion of Ram Navmi.

The ABVP also accused the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and Left-backed students of preventing them from worshipping on Ram Navmi. ABVP JNU president Rohit Kumar alleged that the pooja could not start till 5 pm due to protests.

ABVP alleges disruption at Ram Navmi pooja

"Posters of Ram Navmi pooja were put three days ago. Since then, some students of Left and NSUI were threatening to disrupt the pooja. Today, at 3 pm when the pooja was about to happen, some students arrived at Kaveri gate and started opposing due to which pooja was postponed till 5 pm. If those who are in support of pooja don't have a problem with Muslim students having iftar in the mess then why Left and NSUI is creating a ruckus," he said.

Meanwhile, the University has clarified that students can eat, preach, and wear whatever they want at the JNU campus. The varsity said that there is no restriction over food/clothing or religious practices.

JNU Rector Ajay Dubey said that immediate notice has been issued to avoid any kind of confusion or issue.

Earlier this week, JNU Students Union (JNUSU) staged a protest over the unavailability of a specialist at JNU Health Care and demanded that 'dhabas' should remain open till late at night.

"It has been weeks since the university resumed offline classes and hostel rooms for first-year students have not yet been allotted. Moreover, the dhabas that used to remain open till 2:30 am, now close down at 11 pm," JNUSU councillor Anagha Pradeep said. 

"There is no specialist at the JNU Health Centre. We have demanded the university to reinstate the specialist service," she added. 

Their demand comes in the wake of the death of a PhD student on March 21, who had earlier complained of chest pain. JNUSU called that he was not given timely treatment by the health centre and there was a delay in referring him to AIIMS.