Jaipur: A major controversy erupted in Jaipur on Friday at the University of Rajasthan after the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest against a programme allegedly linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This marks the second such confrontation on the campus of Rajasthan's oldest and most prestigious university in recent months.
The protest was triggered by a seminar on women's empowerment scheduled at the Faculty of Humanities auditorium, organised under the banner of Marudhara Nari Sangathan.
NSUI leaders claim the event was backed by the RSS and carried ideological undertones unsuitable for an academic space.A day earlier, NSUI activists held a press conference on campus, accusing the university administration and Vice-Chancellor Alpana Kateja of permitting and indirectly promoting ideologically driven programmes on the campus.
They argued that such events disrupt the academic environment.Tensions escalated on Friday afternoon even before the programme began, as NSUI members gathered at the university's main gate, raising slogans against the RSS.
The Police contingent deployed at the site erected barricades to prevent entry, leading to a face-off. Protesters tried to breach the barricades and march toward the venue but were stopped.A heavy police presence was maintained across the campus to prevent any untoward incident.Vice-Chancellor Kateja clarified that the university had merely rented out the auditorium.
"We have no information about any programme being organised by the RSS on campus," she said.The campus had witnessed a similar standoff a few months ago during an RSS-linked 'Shastra Pujan' event, which led to volatile protests and the arrest of several activists, including NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar.
Jakhar, then state president of the NSUI, is believed to have gained prominence within the Congress after opposing an RSS programme, often seen as the ideological backbone of the Bharatiya Janata Party.Meanwhile, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) defended the seminar, calling it a democratic exercise focused on women's dignity and empowerment.
It accused NSUI of selective opposition.Adding a political dimension, state BJP President Madan Rathore alleged that the NSUI circulated fake invitation cards to portray the event as RSS-backed. He termed the move as "misleading" and accused the Congress student wing of engaging in propaganda instead of issue-based politics.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
