What started as a peaceful protest by the members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) against the sealing of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) office on Tuesday turned into a battle of sorts as National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) member and DUSU Secretary Karishma Thakur digressed from the issue and led a simultaneous protest against the right-wing student union while hurling negative comments about BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Thakur’s contention against ABVP was they supported Raju Rawat, who had attacked South campus Director Umesh Rai, and wanted him to be reinstated to his position. “We can’t support such people. ABVP is known for showing disrespect to teachers and though I am a part of DUSU, I will not tolerate such actions from members of the Union. I want Rawat to be completely rusticated from the University,” she said.
However, Saket Bahuguna, State Secretary ABVP, retorted that he or anyone else from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad didn’t support the actions of Rawat. He said, “We only wanted that an internal committee looked into the matter before handing the case over to the police. That is what had happened when the Delhi University Students’ Union president from National Students’ Union of India last year had slapped a law faculty member. Why are laws not equal for allIJ The DUSU office was opened in the morning just before the protest and that is what we wanted. So, during the protest we mainly asked for the resignation of the V-C because of his autocratic behaviour.”