ABVP, AISA activists clash over blocking of Umar Khalid’s visit to Ramjas college

New Delhi, Feb 22: A clash broke out between activists of ABVP and AISA of Delhi University on Wednesday, a day after JNU student Umar Khalid’s visit to Ramjas College was cancelled following protests by students. The college authorities had to withdraw the invitation to Khalid, who was charged with sedition last year, and Shehla who was face of the movement demanding release of the students arrested in that case. According to reports, ABVP activists were staging a protest in the college on Wednesday, which led to a clash between them and AISA members. Both ABVP and AISA are student political groups representing divergent ideologies.

Umar Khalid and former JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid were invited to speak at a seminar in Ramjas College on Tuesday but their visit was cancelled after ABVP and DUSU members gathered outside the college gate and shouted slogans against them. There were also allegations of the protesters using violent methods like stone pelting.

Meanwhile, there was a section of teachers, students and members of left- affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA), who were agitated over the college’s decision to ‘bow down’ to “threat to freedom of speech” had decided to march to Maurice Nagar police station calling for action against ABVP members for resorting to vandalism.

During the clash, AISA members tried to barge inside the premises to ‘rescue the captives’. An AISA member said, “The students have been locked inside and those trying to come out were beaten up by ABVP goons. We tried to barge in inside the college to rescue the students but they are attacking us as well. They have come prepared with hockey sticks.”

After assessing the situation outside, Ramjas College Principal Rajender Prasad said he is in discussion with the teachers who were organisers of the event and requested both the groups to not disrupt the peace and harmony in the college.

The protesters also clashed with police personnel deployed at the scene. Umar Khalid was among JNU students who were charged with sedition after February 9 episode last year in which a group of students were seen shouting ‘anti-India’ slogans in mobile footage.