‘ABVP acts with impunity on campuses across India’, says NSUI president
New Delhi: The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) President, Vinod Jakhar, has condemned the recent clash at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), stating that the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has created an atmosphere where it can act without restraint.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Jakhar said the ABVP operates like a “dictatorship” on campuses nationwide, enjoying protection and influence that allows it to intimidate students and dictate administration decisions. “The Vice-Chancellor works under their pressure, and the faculty also functions under their influence,” he said, emphasizing that such impunity fosters an environment where violence goes unchecked.
Jakhar’s remarks came after a protest march called by the JNU Students’ Union, demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit over alleged casteist remarks, turned confrontational. Protesters allege the administration allowed ABVP members to confront them rather than engaging with their concerns. Jakhar condemned the attacks on students and pledged that NSUI would work to challenge such unchecked influence on campuses.
The climate of impunity enjoyed by ABVP, an organisation affiliated with the ruling political establishment, reflects a growing trend of state-supported harassment of dissenting voices in Indian universities. Rights activists argue that such environments not only threaten student safety but also erode democratic freedoms in higher education institutions.
