New Delhi [India], February 27 : Delhi Police on Friday said that 14 students of Jawaharlal Nehru University, including top Student Union office bearers who clashed with police as they attempted to take out a 'long march' to the Union Ministry of Education a day ago, have been arrested.
According to Delhi Police, yesterday, as many as 51 protestors, including members of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), were detained after clashes erupted by students who attempted to take out a march to the Education Ministry. Among the demands of the students is that Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit resign for her allegedly casteist remarks.
Police said that the protesting students broke open the university's locked main gate and attempted to march by crossing the baricades they had erected, leading to scuffle with police in which several of their personnel were injured. Police had locked the university doors and prevented protestors from crossing the barricades.
DCP South West district of the Delhi Police Amit Goel said that yesterday JNUSU had called for a protest, a 'long march' from the JNU campus, Sabarmati Tea Point, to the Ministry of Education.
".. We tried to reason with them that they should conduct any protests inside the campus, not outside, as they have not been granted any permission. However, they were also explained today that if they wanted to take a delegation, they could be facilitated. However, they ignored all these requests, gathered four to five hundred people, broke the gate, and came out around 3.00 pm, insisting that they would march outside for a protest. They were then requested again, repeatedly, not to take the law into their own hands and to return inside... But they refused to listen and even attacked the police," DCP Goel said.
"Many of our staff members were injured there, and the protestors tried to go out by breaking the barricades, etc. During that time, in self-defence and to stop them from moving forward, our staff detained some of their protesters, in which around 51 protesters were detained, and later a case was registered in 76/26 PS Vasant Kunj North. During this time, a total of around 20 to 25 of our staff members were also injured, including ACP Vasant Kunj, SHO Saroj Nagar, and SHO Kishangarh," the official said.
In a statement today, JNUSU claimed, "Thirteen students (including three JNUSU Office bearers arrested during March to MoE. Several students have been brutally attacked and injured, Babasaheb Ambedkar's portrait broken by the Police," further demanding that they are to be released immediately and unconditionally.
JNUSU has demanded the immediate release of the students and have alleged that the VC and the police were "hand-in-hand"
Among the demands of the students included the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor for her "casteist remarks" and "her complicity and failure to protect the students". They have also demanded action against police for the alleged desecration of Dr Ambedkar's portrait.
The All India Students Association (AISA) also issued a statement on the matter, citing the causes behind the 'long march' and alleged that the police was working with the Vice Chancellor to assault the protesting students.
The statement read, "On 26th February a call for a long march was given by JNUSU with regard to the casteist remarks made by the JNU VC, fund cut in the university, rustication of the JNUSU Office Bearers and demanding the implementation of the Improvised UGC equity regulations as well in lines with the Rohith Act."
"Despite a democratic gathering of hundreds of students Delhi police hand in hand with the VC of the University unleashed a brutal and violent assault on the protesting students which left dozens heavily injured with bruised bodies and bleeding wounds," AISA claimed.
AISA further claimed that the JNUSU President Aditi, Secretary Gopika and General Secretary Danish, along with AISA All India President Neha were among the 51 students arrested during the march and held in the police station for 14 hours.
"After this heinous crackdown on democratic expression, the Delhi Police has now shamelessly made 14 arrests of students for protesting to protect their own education! Comrades Aditi, Danish, Gopika and Neha are part of the students arrested," AISA stated.
"Who does the Delhi Police protect from protesting students? Delhi Police's violent crackdown, from arrests to deploying goons in civil clothing to brutally assault university students has shown the lengths that those in power, from the VC to the ruling BJP, are willing to go to shield the system of caste governing our universities," the statement added.
AISA further appealed to the student community and "all democracy loving people" to unite against the alleged assault and stand with the students of JNU in this "struggle for safeguarding public education".
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police accused the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student protestors of physically assaulting the security personnel during yesterday's protest. The Delhi Police stated that the student protestors turned violent and "pelted banners and sticks, threw shoes, and even bit the personnel," following which those who violated the law were detained.
"During the protest, barricades were damaged, and the demonstration turned violent. Protestors pelted banners and sticks, threw shoes, and even physically assaulted Delhi Police personnel, including biting. As a result, several police personnel were injured. The protestors were stopped and contained at the North Gate of the JNU campus and were gradually moved back inside. Those who became violent and did not obey lawful orders were detained. Further details will be shared in due course," Delhi Police said.
The police further said that the JNUSU called the protest march from the campus to the Ministry of Education despite being denied permission by the University administration. The police said that around 500 students gathered in the protest and left the main gate of the university, though they were asked to restrict themselves to the campus.
The controversy stems from Pandit's remarks in the podcast while discussing the UGC's proposed 2026 Equity (Anti-Discrimination) Regulations aimed at addressing caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions.
In a purported clip circulating online of the podcast, she was heard saying that Dalits and Blacks "cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card," triggering sharp reactions from student groups.
The VC has, however, said that her comments were taken out of context and misrepresented for "political purposes" by certain groups.