SFI, ABVP clash at Delhi's South Asian University over non-veg food on Maha Shivratri

NEW DELHI: The Students Federation of India (SFI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accused each other of instigating violence at the South Asian University (SAU) for serving non-vegetarian food in the mess on Maha Shivratri. The SAU administration is yet to issue an official statement regarding the clash that broke out between two student groups.

Accusing the ABVP, the SFI sought immediate action against those who attacked students in the university mess. The SFI Delhi state committee president Sooraj Elamon and secretary Aishe Ghosh in a statement said: “The goons grabbed the hair of women students and dragged them violently during the attack. They also attacked the mess staff for serving non-veg food. Such violent goons and their draconian principles of exclusion have no place in our university campuses that are supposed to be democratic, secular and safe spaces of education.”

Stating that the university mess is a common place of all students and “imposition of the dietary” restrictions on any community is “undemocratic and unsecular”.

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The ABVP argued that the “SFI goons at SAU forcibly tried to break students’ fast by forcing non-veg on them, abusing, and assaulting them!” Sharing a viral video which is circulating on social media, the ABVP also demanded for an impartial inquiry.

“Shocking! On Mahashivratri… Religious freedom is a constitutional right! Why is it under attack on campus? Will the so-called secular brigade stay silent now?” it added.

"The ABVP attacks women students in SAU. Showing their cowardice and anti-women attitude, ABVP attacked women students in SAU. We condemn the ABVP's actions in the most fierce terms and extend solidarity to the courageous students of SAU," the SFI Delhi said in a post on X.

The Delhi Police said the situation at the university was peaceful and no formal complaint has been received by it. It also said that an internal inquiry is being conducted by the university, as per the PTI report.

"A PCR call regarding a quarrel was received from South Asian University at around 3.45 pm in Maidangarhi Police Station. When we reached the spot, there was an altercation taking place between two groups in the mess," it added.

Update: This story has been updated with ABVP's comment on the incident.