On February 26, protestors from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), organized by the JNUSU (Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union), were detained by Delhi Police during a demonstration calling for the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit.

This protest was sparked by remarks allegedly made by Pandit on a podcast on February 16, which were perceived as derogatory towards Dalits and Black individuals. The students aimed to express their grievances to the Ministry of Education and planned to march from the JNU Sabarmati T point to the ministry.

Police Barricades Prevent March

As the protestors gathered, they encountered locked university gates, and security personnel had erected barricades to block their route. Despite these obstacles, a group of students affiliated with JNUSU and various left-leaning organizations, including AISF, SFI, PDSU, and NSUI, attempted to force their way through the barriers. The students carried posters, flags, and portraits of B.R. Ambedkar as they expressed their anger over the lockdown of university premises.

Confrontation with Authorities

Efforts by protestors to break the locks were met with resistance from the police, resulting in a standoff. The escalating tension led to clashes between the two sides, with police and security forces beginning to detain students participating in the protest. In the midst of their detainment, students voiced their frustrations about the restrictions imposed on their demonstration, accusing authorities of suppressing their rights to advocate for educational reform. “How dare you lock the university? Shame on you. You don’t even let us march for our rights,” one detained student declared, highlighting the emotional charge of the protest.

Previous Altercations Exacerbate Tensions

The protest occurred shortly after an earlier incident at JNU on February 24, where a confrontation between the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and left-affiliated student groups resulted in injuries and conflicting narratives from both factions. Vikas Patel, the State Joint Secretary of ABVP, accused the leftist groups of orchestrating an attack disguised as student activism. Conversely, Aditi Mishra, President of JNUSU, alleged that the Vice Chancellor had instigated the violence, claiming that “goons and sanghis” were sent to counteract their demonstration.

Controversial Remarks Under Scrutiny

The uproar surrounding the protests emanates from Santishree D Pandit’s remarks during her podcast, where she discussed the proposed UGC 2026 Equity (Anti-Discrimination) Regulations aimed at combating caste-based discrimination in educational settings. A segment of the podcast included her statement suggesting that Dalits and Blacks “cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card,” leading to significant backlash from student organizations.

Vice-Chancellor Responds to Criticism

In the face of the ensuing controversy, Pandit defended her comments, asserting that they were taken out of context and manipulated for political gain by certain factions. In a phone conversation, Pandit clarified that her intention was not to undermine Dalits but to critique what she described as “wokes” who politicize such identities. “I am against anybody being made into a permanent victim or a permanent oppressor. That is my position,” she affirmed.

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