Tensions erupted at Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU) in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow on September 17 after several students were allegedly assaulted by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on campus.
The clash began when a group of students objected to the Vishwakarma Pooja inside a classroom by ABVP members. The protesting students argued that religious functions should not be held in academic spaces. Their objections were reportedly met with violence.
Some students reportedly sustained injuries and alleged the attack was an attempt to silence dissent. The incident has sparked outrage among students, who are demanding strict action against those involved and have called on the university administration to ensure the campus remains a secular and safe space.
Aakash, a research scholar associated with the Disha Students’ Organisation, a socialist, democratic, student-led group, said, “Some students objected to organising the pooja inside the campus. A verbal scuffle started, and ABVP members were adamant on doing the pooja, even though no other religious event takes place inside the premises.”
“When we reached out to the proctor, we were told that no proper permission was granted for the event, as per the code of conduct. The pooja was terminated midway when the college authorities intervened,” he added.
While students were returning to their respective places, ABVP-associated students allegedly assaulted those who had objected. Three students — Mritunjay, Ritesh and Adesh — sustained serious injuries and were taken to Lok Bandhu Hospital.
Mritunjay, who suffered multiple injuries, said: “While the ABVP goons were beating us with rods and other weapons, nobody from the vice chancellor’s office came to take cognisance — even though it was just 50 meters away from the place of the assault.”
“They were hurling the casteist slurs at us, as one of us is from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community,” he alleged.
Mritunjay stated he would go on a hunger strike on campus if no adequate action is taken by the police or the college authorities against the ABVP members.
Subsequently, three FIRs were registered at the Ashiyana police station based on complaints from ABVP members, college authorities, and students who were allegedly assaulted.
Police registered a case against 12 students associated with the Disha under sections 115(2) (abetment), 191(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 191(3) (rioting with deadly weapon), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), based on complaints from ABVP members.
In its complaint, ABVP alleged that students disrupted the Vishwakarma Pooja and disrespected Hindu deities.
However, a student named Anushreesh refuted the claim and said students only objected to holding any religious events on the educational campus.
He told Maktoob, “The ABVP members who assaulted the students are booked under bailable sections, even though they were the ones who were violent and created a ruckus. Those who were beaten up are booked under stringent and non-bailable sections, even though they sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital.”
Another FIR was registered by police under sections 115(2), 191(2) (rioting), 115(2) (abetment), 191(3) (perjury), 303(2) (theft), 309(4) (robbery), and 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS, based on the complaint by students who were assaulted by ABVP.
Varuni Poorva, a student at Patna University and a national post-holder of the Disha, said, “ABVP is now trying to make the issue communal by provoking students’ religious feelings, telling them that Hindu gods and deities were insulted by students who objected to the pooja.”
“Disha’s only concern was that no religious program should be held inside any educational institution, which also goes against the university’s code of conduct. If something like this starts, every religion would begin observing their practices — and ABVP would be the first outfit to object,” She added.
“On top of that, violence is taking place on this pretext, which is very unfortunate. Campuses should ensure that no right-wing or communal-minded individuals are given space inside colleges, as their only purpose is to disrupt communal harmony and promote violence,” Poorva said.
She added that if no action is taken by the university or police administration, students will launch a hunger strike by Monday.
As of now, university authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident. Calls made to the proctor by Maktoob went unanswered. This story will be updated if and when a response is received.
