New Delhi: The BJP's student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has reportedly manhandled a physically handicapped Muslim PhD scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
According to India Today, Farooque Alam, a senior National Students' Union of India (NSUI) activist, was beaten up by ABVP activists who accompanied the JNU administration when they came to vacate his room in Kaveri hostel, related to an old case pending in court on Wednesday.
According to NSUI's statement, "In a horrific incident in Kaveri hostel today, a senior warden of Kaveri hostel and their domesticated ABVP goons attacked NSUI activists and our senior activist Farooque Alam, who is a physically handicapped research scholar in JNU."
Eyewitnesses reported that the ABVP members had confronted Farooque when the JNU administration came to vacate his room, related to an old court case. The confrontation escalated into a physical altercation, with Farooque being severely beaten. He lost consciousness and was rushed to AIIMS via an ambulance.
NSUI criticized the campus's deteriorating image, stating that it is now known more for brawls than for education. They also accused the JNU administration and political powers of protecting ABVP students, holding them responsible for the assault.
In response to the incident, the JNU administration issued a notice promising an investigation into the matter and stated that action would be taken against those involved in the dispute during Farooque's departure from the hostel.
The Students' Federation of India (SFI), a Left Student Union at JNU, also condemned the incident and called on all students to unite and protest against ABVP. However, ABVP has remained tight-lipped about the incident and declined to comment.
Farooque Alam, who was due to complete his PhD in just two months, now faces a long road to recovery, while the JNU community awaits answers and accountability regarding this distressing incident that has raised questions about safety and security on campus.