South Asian University promises investigation as video of confrontation goes viral
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) clashed violently at Delhi’s South Asian University (SAU) on Wednesday over the serving of non-vegetarian food in the university’s canteen on the occasion of Mahashivratri. The altercation, which was captured on video, has since gone viral on social media, sparking widespread discussion.
The SFI accused ABVP members of attacking students who did not comply with their “strict and undemocratic demand” to refrain from consuming non-vegetarian food on the Hindu festival. Meanwhile, the ABVP alleged that SFI activists “tried to break the fast by forcibly making the students eat non-veg”. The disagreement quickly escalated into a scuffle, drawing the attention of the university administration.
A second-year postgraduate student, speaking to The Indian Express, said that ABVP members had requested that only vegetarian food be served in the canteen on the festival day. The student explained that SAU has two dining facilities, and when fish curry was served in one of them, some ABVP-affiliated students allegedly entered the area and attempted to remove the dish forcibly.
A female student from the mess committee objected to this action but was reportedly misbehaved. According to SFI, when the student and her peers approached the Dean of Students’ office to file a complaint, university officials allegedly attempted to deflect the issue and blame the victims instead.
The SAU administration has acknowledged the incident and assured that an investigation is underway. “We are looking into the matter, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings,” a university spokesperson stated.
ABVP state secretary Sarthak Sharma defended the group’s stance, arguing that students have the right to uphold their beliefs. “When the university administration itself has arranged for vegetarian food in the mess, trying to forcefully serve non-vegetarian food is not only insensitive but also ideological terrorism,” he said.
