JMI files FIR against miscreants; AISA blames DUSU ABVP candidate for disrupting Diwali celebrations

NEW DELHI: Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has filed an FIR against unknown miscreants for disrupting Diwali celebrations on the campus. On the contrary, All India Students’ Association (AISA) of JMI, alleged that Bhanu Pratap Singh, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) candidate from the ABVP, along with some others burst crackers inside campus and “exhibited extremely unruly behaviour towards the Muslim students”.

Taking a very serious view of the “attempt to tarnish the composite character of the institution”, JMI said: “The university administration has taken a very serious view of attempts in certain quarters to malign the institution that has been at the forefront not only for offering quality teaching and research but has been assiduously promoting the syncretic culture of the nation since its establishment.”

The university administration has requested the police to identify all such unidentified individuals who “sneaked into the campus to disrupt Diwali celebrations” and “anti-social elements for necessary penal action”, the public relations office of Jamia Millia Islamia said in an official statement.

As part of Diwali celebrations, Jamia students had organised a Rangoli competition and a Diya lighting ceremony on October 22. “The event was being celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervour by students of all communities and faiths but for the disruption induced by outside elements in the form of unwarranted sloganeering aimed at subverting the prevailing harmony on the university campus,” the university said without mentioning any name.

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AISA's version of Diwali incident

Condemning the “Sangh takeover of Jamia administration!”, the AISA JMI stated that it “stands united against ABVP’s repeated attempts to defame JMI”.

On 22 October, the Rashtriya Kala Manch and Yuva, both of which are organisations affiliated to the RSS, were granted permission by the Proctor to organise an event celebrating Diwali on campus. "During the event, Bhanu Pratap Singh, DUSU candidate from the ABVP, entered the Jamia campus along with some other lumpens", the student group said.

“The ABVP members started bursting crackers inside campus and exhibited extremely unruly behaviour towards the Muslim students on campus. Some students recognised the ABVP DUSU candidate Bhanu Pratap Singh and raised an issue with the ongoing hooliganism on campus which was being instigated through their presence,” it said, adding that they were made to leave the campus by the combined pressure of the students.

They further alleged: “Instead of admitting that they sneaked members of their organisation including Bhanu Pratap Singh inside our campus and caused extreme disturbance and discomfort to several Muslim students, they are attempting to paint the entire Muslim student community as anti-Hindu. The students of Jamia did not have any issue with the festival of Diwali but instead with the hooliganism exhibited by the ABVP in the guise of this celebration.”

The students also asked why the JMI proctor did not take immediate steps to remove the presence of ABVP DUSU candidate and others from campus despite their complaint. “The Delhi High Court has banned all types of firecrackers in the national capital due to rising air pollution. On what grounds did the Proctor grant permission to the Yuva to celebrate Diwali in the campus by bursting crackers and breaking the law by contributing to the dangerous levels of air pollution in Delhi?” AISA asked the administration.