"Attempt to exploit religion, spread Islamophobia": JNUSU on clash during Dussehra 'Visarjan Shobha Yatra'

New Delhi [India], October 3 (ANI): The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) has accused the ABVP of trying to spread Islamophobia by burning effigies of former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam during a Ravan Dahan on Vijayadashami, calling it a communal act meant to exploit religion.
A violent clash broke out between two groups of students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Thursday during a 'Visarjan Shobha Yatra' organised on the occasion of Vijayadashami.
A statement released by JNUSU reads, "On 2 October, the ABVP once again exposed its communal agenda by staging a Ravan Dahan in which former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were depicted as Ravan. This was a deliberate attempt to exploit religion and spread Islamophobia. Umar and Sharjeel have been imprisoned for five years. Their cases are still under trial, and bail has been repeatedly denied on flimsy grounds. Yet the ABVP chose to hold a public trial on the streets."
JNUSU has accused the ABVP and RSS of weaponising religion for political gain, rejecting claims that they opposed Durga Puja.
They have also challenged the ABVP to provide any evidence supporting their claim of protests, calling the accusations false and saying no such incident took place.
"The RSS and ABVP have a long record of weaponising religion against political opponents. In 1945, the RSS magazine Agrani carried a cartoon portraying Gandhi, Nehru, and Maulana Azad as Ravana, while Savarkar and Syama Prasad Mukherjee were shown as Rama. Nathuram Godse, Gandhi's killer, sat on that editorial board. They pelted stones, waved sandals, and tried to intimidate us. When outnumbered, they fled and began spreading the lie that JNUSU was protesting against Durga Puja. This is an utter lie. Just like many other festivals, Durga Puja has been celebrated by student groups across campus for the last many days. No instance of any violence or disruption was reported at any point. We challenge ABVP to present a single shred of evidence to support their claim. They cannot, because it never happened," the statement read.
Meanwhile, earlier, JNUSU Joint Secretary Vaibhav Meena, said they called for a symbolic 'Ravan Dahan' at Sabarmati, targeting what they described as "Naxal-like forces."
Meena claimed that effigies and photos of individuals with alleged Naxal ideologies, including Afzal Guru, Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, G Sai Baba, and Charu Majumdar, were burned during the event.
"Today, on Vijayadashami, JNUSU had given a call that we would perform the 'dahan' of Naxal-like Ravan, of naxal forces. The nine-day Durga Puja of Navratri is also observed at JNU. Immersion of the idol is done on Vijayadashami. So, a 'Shobha Yatra' was also being taken out. First, 'Ravan Dahan' was done at Sabarmati with photos of all Naxal leaders, and those with Naxal ideology like Afzal Guru, Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, G Sai Baba, Charu Majumdar," he said.
He further stated that while the 'Shobha Yatra' was being carried out across the campus, members of Left-affiliated groups, stationed at Sabarmati Tea Point for a separate effigy-burning event, disrupted the procession by hurling shoes and slippers at participants. (ANI)