New Delhi: A fight broke out between members of CPI(M) affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)’s students wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) inside the South Asian University (SAU) campus here on Wednesday afternoon over the serving of non-vegetarian food at one of the messes on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.
Both sides blamed each other of inciting violence in the university, due to which police had to enter the campus.
While SAU authorities remained tight-lipped on the issue, the Maidan Garhi police confirmed that they received a PCR call from a female student who was allegedly beaten up. She was taken to a hospital for a medical examination. No official complaint has been lodged though and normalcy returned to the campus soon thereafter, an officer told the media.
Purported videos of the clash have surfaced online. SFI Delhi also posted a video on its X handle, claiming that ABVP members attacked women students in the SAU mess.
According to an SFI press communique, the ABVP made a ‘draconian and undemocratic’ demand that only vegetarian food be served at the two University messes on Maha Shivratri. Many students went against this and when fish curry was being served at one of the messes, ABVP members allegedly took away the food, leading to the clash. An SFI leader told a leading newspaper that women were dragged by their hair by ABVP members.
“There are two messes in the university. In one of them, fish curry was being served. Some students, allegedly associated with ABVP, entered and attempted to snatch the fish curry away. A female student, part of the mess committee, objected, but they manhandled her, The Indian Express reported, quoting an unidentified second-year masters student.
The ABVP accused the SFI of ‘ideological terrorism’. The organisation’s state secretary Saarthak Sharma told a television channel that all they had asked for was Satvik food to be served to students who were fasting for Maha Shivratri.
“Even the mess staff agreed and Satvik food was being served to the students observing Maha Shivaratri. But then, the SFI members arrived and started to serve fish curry. This was a clear attempt to destroy the harmony that exists on campus by hurting the religious sentiments of a section of students,” he said.
The police said that they are verifying facts. The University is also carrying out an internal inquiry, an officer said.
Check the videos shared by the students groups here
Shocking! On Mahashivratri, SFI goons at SAU forcibly tried to break students’ fast by forcing non-veg on them, abusing, and assaulting them!
Religious freedom is a constitutional right! Why is it under attack on campus? Will the so-called secular brigade stay silent now?
ABVP… pic.twitter.com/qZYDFx3sMi
— ABVP (@ABVPVoice) February 26, 2025
ABVP attacks women students in SAU!
Showing their cowardice, anti-women attitude and sheer hooliganism ABVP attacked women students in SAU. We condemn the ABVP’s actions in the most fierce terms and extend solidarity to the courageous students of SAU.#sfi #sfidelhi #sau pic.twitter.com/mWH5VIs846
— SFI Delhi (@SfiDelhi) February 26, 2025
