Attempts to seek a response from Delhi Police went unanswered. Officers declined to comment on whether permission was granted for the RSS march or under what circumstances security was deployed
NEW DELHI — A controversy erupted in the national capital after members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) held a march outside Jamia Millia Islamia University on Sunday (5 October), to mark the organisation’s centenary. The parade, which took place near Gate No.7, is believed to be the first-ever RSS march in the area sparking anger and unease among students and faculty members of the Muslim-majority institution.
Eyewitnesses said dozens of RSS volunteers dressed in the group’s trademark uniform carried sticks and marched with their flag and band, as Delhi Police provided tight security along the route. The spectacle left many Jamia students questioning what they called “clear bias” and “targeted policing.”
A postgraduate student at Jamia said, “If we even hold a peaceful protest for our rights, the police detain us immediately. But the RSS was allowed to parade right outside our university with full protection. Is this not discrimination?”
Jamia Millia Islamia, a central university with a long legacy of secular and inclusive education, requires prior permission for any march or protest, even within campus premises. Students have often faced restrictions or police action for organising small demonstrations or marches.
However, the RSS parade was permitted just outside the university gates, raising questions about police impartiality and the growing influence of right-wing groups in educational spaces.
A professor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Jamia has always represented India’s pluralism and diversity. Allowing a group like RSS to march outside its gates sends a wrong message. It appears as though there’s a deliberate attempt to show presence and dominance.”
Several social activists and student groups condemned the incident, arguing that it was part of a larger plan to “normalise” RSS activities in educational institutions that have historically resisted such influence.
A Delhi-based activist said, “Jamia is not just another university — it is a symbol of India’s freedom struggle and secular ideals. This march was not accidental. It was meant to assert ideological control and provoke a reaction.”
The incident also revived memories of past confrontations between students and police, particularly during the anti-CAA protests of 2019, when Jamia students were abused, beaten, humiliated and detained for demonstrating inside campus. Many see the recent event as a continuation of that bias.
Attempts to seek a response from Delhi Police went unanswered. Officers stationed at Jamia reportedly declined to comment on whether permission was granted for the RSS march or under what circumstances security was deployed.
Students have demanded an official inquiry, alleging that such marches threaten the secular and inclusive character of the university.
Another student said, “They tell us to avoid protests because they ‘disturb peace,’ but what about this parade with sticks and uniforms? Whose peace is being protected here — theirs or ours?”
Observers say the RSS parade outside Jamia is part of a growing pattern in which right-wing organisations are seeking visibility in minority-dominated areas. The deliberate choice of location — right outside a university known for its Muslim heritage — has raised fears of intimidation and communal provocation.
A retired academic who has studied Jamia’s history remarked, “Jamia was founded to resist colonial domination and promote inclusive education. Seeing men with sticks and uniforms marching in front of it is deeply unsettling. It reminds us of how power is being displayed, not dialogue.”
As of now, neither the university administration nor the police have issued an official statement. Students and alumni, however, continue to voice their outrage on social media, accusing authorities of hypocrisy and selective enforcement of law.
The incident has once again placed Jamia Millia Islamia at the centre of national debate — not for academic achievement, but for what many see as a silent assault on its secular spirit and the rights of its students.
