Delhi: Groups of students clash at Jamia campus over Diwali celebrations

Tension grips Jamia as event to mark Diwali marred by slogans security beefed up

A Diwali celebration at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi descended into chaos on Tuesday night when two groups clashed during a rangoli-making event, prompting a heavy police presence outside the campus.

The incident occurred during an annual Diwali event organized by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as reported by news agency PTI.

The clash reportedly began when a group of students objected to the Diwali decorations, including rangolis and diyas, resulting in the two groups engaging in a scuffle. As per reports, the altercation took place near Gate No. 7 of the university around 7:30-8 PM. Witnesses claim that some individuals ruined the rangolis and kicked over the diyas, which escalated tensions between the groups.

Some students alleged that slogans like “Palestine Zindabad” and “Allah-u-Akbar” were shouted by a group disrupting the Diwali celebrations, though these claims could not be independently verified by Hindustan Times.

The Delhi Police were quickly deployed to the scene to control the situation. Deputy Commissioner of Police Southeast, Ravi Kumar, confirmed that both groups were involved in sloganeering before the altercation escalated into violence.

An FIR was registered at Jamia Nagar Police Station, citing charges of rioting and an attempt to commit culpable homicide. Three students, identified as Adil Khan, Zafar, and Saqib, sustained injuries during the scuffle and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Police reports indicate that the Diwali event, titled ‘Jyotirmaya 2024′, had received prior permission from the university but escalated into a conflict when a group of students from the Muslim community expressed their discontent with the celebration.

The videos going viral on social media show people walking into the event with slogans, causing a physical altercation between the two groups.

In an official statement, the ABVP said that outsider “religious extremists and anti-social elements” disrupted the event at the venue.

“They raised provocative slogans like “Palestine Zindabad,” vandalized the lamps (diyas), destroyed the rangoli (traditional art), and began assaulting the Jamia students who were participating in the celebration. The university administration remained a mute spectator,” the ABVP alleged.

“In this unfortunate incident, these external miscreants also misbehaved with the female students of the university, hurled lewd remarks at them, and wiped out the rangoli they had created with their feet,” it said.

“The question arises: Is it a crime to celebrate Diwali or chant “Bharat Mata ki Jai” in a central university in India?,” the organization asked.

Asserting that the university campus belongs to all students, and raising anti-national and extremist slogans at Jamia is unacceptable, the ABVP urged the Delhi Police to take strict action against the extremists and religious fanatics responsible for the violence during Deepotsav.

The administration of Jamia Millia Islamia has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident. However, sources within the university suggest that measures are being taken to ensure that outsiders do not enter the campus and heighten tensions.

The police investigation is ongoing as authorities work to gather more details about the incident. As of now, the situation remains under control, and security personnel continue to monitor the area outside the university gates.

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