New Delhi: Candidates from various student outfits unanimously condemned the Pahalgam terror attack at the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) presidential debate, before diving into heated clashes over campus issues, national politics, and global affairs.
The debate Wednesday night, held at the red-and-white pavilion near Ganga hostel, stretched into the early hours and drew large crowds from across Delhi. The air pulsed with sloganeering and the beat of drums, as student groups waved banners and flags—Palestinian and Israeli alike—transforming the campus stage into a microcosm of broader geopolitical and ideological strife.
The Election Committee called for a moment of silence to honour those killed in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Soon after, speeches resumed with strong ideological messaging from across the political spectrum with candidates clashing over campus politics and national issues.
Shikha Swaraj, the presidential candidate from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), linked the Pahalgam attack to what she described as “the rotten ideology of the Leftist”. She criticised both emerging Left formations on the campus—the Left-Ambedkarite front, Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA), the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), and the Progressive Students’ Association (PSA) coalition against All India Students’ Association–Democratic Students’ Front (DSF) alliance—and called for their defeat.
“JNU has completed 56 years, and this debate is historic because we are exposing these Left groups, who are already divided,” she said.
Ahead of this year’s JNUSU elections, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI)-All India Students’ Association (AISA) alliance split last week. AISA has teamed up with DSF, while SFI has formed a new ‘Left-Ambedkarite’ front with BAPSA, AISF and PSA.
In stark contrast, Tayyaba Ahmed, representing the Left-Ambedkarite front, had to push through significant disruptions during her speech. As she took the stage, ABVP supporters intensified their protests, banging on drums that overpowered the usual dhaplis used at student gatherings.
She accused the ABVP of glorifying individuals convicted in the Bilkis Bano case and referred to a 2018 sexual harassment case involving a JNU professor. “These are the people who garland the convicted rapists of Bilkis Bano. They roam around with someone accused of harassment,” she added, calling the ABVP as the ‘Akhil Bhartiya Harassment Parishad’.
Nitish Kumar, contesting the election on behalf of the AISA-DSF alliance, began his speech with condolences for those affected by the Pahalgam attack. However, he quickly pivoted to critique the BJP-led central government, warning against the politicisation of such tragedies for communal gain. “If the BJP uses this incident to spread communalism, JNU will resist,” he asserted.
He also spoke about the recent suspension of elections following violent clashes allegedly involving ABVP members, likening the situation to the controversial Chandigarh mayoral polls, tainted by allegations of malpractice. Reaffirming JNU’s legacy of resistance, he declared, “JNU will not bow down”.
Pradeep Dhaka, the NSUI candidate, chose to broaden the scope of the debate beyond campus and national politics. He expressed solidarity with global struggles for justice, naming oppressed communities in Yemen, Palestine, and China’s Uyghur region as examples.
Condemning the Pahalgam attack, Dhaka used the moment to question the ideological alignment of the ABVP with the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP. Holding aloft a copy of the Indian Constitution, he said, “This country runs on the constitution, not the Politburo of Nagpur,” a reference to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur.
JNU students will cast their votes on 25 April, with the results scheduled to be announced on 28 April.
Kartikay Chaturvedi is an intern who graduated from ThePrint School of Journalism.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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