JNU Students' Union and ABVP Clash Over Effigy Burning Incident

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) has alleged that the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is inciting Islamophobia by burning effigies of ex-JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. This action, which took place during a Ravan Dahan ceremony on Vijayadashami, is being called a communal act intended to manipulate religious sentiments.

A violent altercation unfolded between student factions at JNU's campus amid a 'Visarjan Shobha Yatra' on the Vijayadashami holiday. In a statement, JNUSU charged that ABVP's effigy burning unfairly portrayed Khalid and Imam as villains, exploiting ongoing legal proceedings against them for political leverage.

Accusations of protest against Durga Puja were swiftly denied by JNUSU, which challenged ABVP to substantiate these claims. Citing historical precedents where religious narratives were allegedly weaponized, JNUSU insisted that no disruption of religious observances like Durga Puja had taken place.

(With inputs from agencies.)