JNU administration disallows processions on campus

Following incidents of alleged violence in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, its administration Monday banned processions, demonstrations, rallies on the campus, apprehending "disruption of peace" if such events are held.

Members of the RSS-affiliate Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA) clashed early Monday, with both groups accusing each other of attacking their supporters, hours after the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results were announced.

Violence erupted on the campus after a united front of Left student groups Sunday won all four central panel posts in the union defeating the ABVP by considerable margins.

The JNU Teachers' Association also took out a protest march in the evening against the incidents of campus violence. An hour after their protest march commenced, the university banned processions and rallies.

"It is to inform all the stakeholders of the university that due to the prevailing situation on the campus, any form of procession, demonstration, rallies etc. are not allowed on the campus until further notice," a notice, issued by the varsity's Registrar, read.

The varsity said some miscreants "with the intent of creating unrest on the campus mobilised some student groups and started physical violence on innocent students".

They said some students even created a ruckus outside the houses of certain hostel wardens.

"Many students, including some physically challenged ones, were beaten up. Some of them threw stones at the warden's flat and a few others tried to break open the door of another warden's flat," the administration said.

The varsity said the administration strongly condemns such violence on the campus and warns against inviting outside elements to participate in such disruptive activities.

Sources said students have also been asked not to invite outsiders in hostels.

Ahead of the counting Saturday which was suspended for close to 14 hours after election authorities cited "forcible entry" and "attempts to snatch away ballot boxes", the ABVP and the AISA had accused each other of assaulting it members.