A disturbance broke out at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi on Tuesday night during Diwali celebrations, leading to a clash between two groups and the deployment of police outside the campus. The conflict reportedly occurred during a rangoli event organized for Diwali.
Videos circulating on social media show a group of individuals chanting slogans, which appeared to disrupt the Diwali festivities on the Jamia campus. Some students claimed that the group chanted “Palestine Zindabad” while interfering with the celebrations. The incident took place during the annual Diwali event organized by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
#UPDATE: Yesterday, students at #JamiaMilliaIslamia organised a pre-Diwali event, 'Jyotirgamaya 24.' However, the celebrations were marred by protests and religious sloganeering, with protesters chanting "Allahu Akbar" and, shockingly, "Palestine Zindabad."
Soon after the video… pic.twitter.com/ZfITz6VfWu
— Subhi Vishwakarma (@subhi_karma) October 23, 2024
The scuffle allegedly began when members of one group ruined rangolis prepared by students for Diwali and kicked diyas, according to reports. This led to a physical confrontation between the two groups. The altercation occurred inside Gate No. 7 of the university around 7:30-8 PM, according to Southeast Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravi Kumar.
Islamists disrupted the Pre Diwali celebrations in Jamia Millia Islamia University w/ religious sloganeering.
People celebrating the Diwali were heckled and physically manhandled by the Islamist hordes.
The state of affairs in Nation’s capital as if it’s Pakistan or Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/6Mbi6LpmDX— Suryadev Singh (@Suryadev_7) October 22, 2024
Kumar told The Indian Express, “A group of ABVP-affiliated students were putting up diyas and making rangolis for Diwali, which angered another group. The other group destroyed the decorations, resulting in a scuffle. Both groups then began chanting slogans.”
Clips of the altercation shared online show people entering the event and engaging in sloganeering, which escalated into a physical confrontation. The ABVP, in its official statement, said that the exact reason behind the clash is still under investigation.
The situation was eventually brought under control when security personnel intervened. Police have been stationed outside the university gates overnight to ensure safety, and further details regarding the incident are awaited.
