'Where is Komal Sharma?': JNUSU reacts to slogan controversy, calls it a bid to tarnish university's reputation

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) has responded strongly to the controversy surrounding the raising of allegedly “provocative” slogans on campus, alleging that there is a coordinated effort underway to malign the university and further harass students. Clarifying the incident, the students’ union said the gathering was a vigil held on January 5 to remember the violent attack on the JNU campus in 2020. The event, according to JNUSU, aimed to commemorate those incidents and draw attention to what it described as a continuing pattern of injustice, particularly concerning Sabarmati Hostel, which bore the brunt of the violence six years ago.

The controversy erupted earlier on Tuesday (January 5) after slogans were reportedly raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This came shortly after the Supreme Court declined to grant bail to former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.

In its statement, JNUSU rejected claims that the event was meant to provoke unrest, asserting that January 5, 2020, marked a night when masked individuals armed with weapons entered the campus and assaulted students and faculty members. The union said the attack was not a spontaneous clash but a targeted assault on students protesting a proposed fee hike, while law enforcement allegedly failed to intervene. Questioning the investigation into the 2020 violence, the students’ body asked why no arrests have been made so far, despite public admissions by individuals allegedly involved in planning and executing the attack. It also accused the Delhi Police of acting swiftly against student leaders for acts of protest while failing to take action in the January 5 violence case.

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The statement further referred to the assault on then JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh during a protest march and noted that a woman later identified as Komal Sharma was seen with the attackers, though no arrests have been recorded to date. Reiterating its stance, JNUSU said it would continue to defend democratic and constitutional rights, including the right to dissent, and condemned what it called attempts to suppress student voices.

Meanwhile, the JNU administration has taken a contrasting position. The university’s security chief has written to the Delhi Police seeking the registration of an FIR over the slogans raised during the event. In its communication, the administration alleged that certain slogans were “highly objectionable, provocative, and inflammatory” and amounted to contempt of the Supreme Court. It claimed the slogans showed deliberate disrespect towards constitutional institutions and democratic norms.

The university stated that the programme, organised around 10 pm on Monday by students linked to the JNUSU, initially appeared to be a small memorial event with around 30 to 35 participants. However, it later escalated, with named student leaders, including current JNUSU president Aditi Mishra, allegedly leading repeated slogan-raising.

According to the administration, the slogans had the potential to disturb campus peace, threaten security, and disrupt public order. An internal inquiry has also been initiated. The incident has drawn political reactions as well, with several BJP leaders condemning the slogans and accusing the students of promoting what they termed an “urban Naxal” ideology, allegedly backed by the Congress and Rahul Gandhi.