New Delhi: Tensions flared at Delhi University’s North Campus on February 13 after a protest in support of new University Grants Commission (UGC) equity regulations descended into a scuffle between rival student groups, triggering serious allegations of assault, intimidation, and police inaction. At the centre of the controversy is a woman journalist who has claimed that she was attacked during the protest and targeted for her Brahmin identity.
According to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the incident occurred around 2 pm near the Arts Faculty when a woman journalist associated with a YouTube channel was covering the demonstration. ABVP Delhi state secretary Sarthak Sharma alleged that left-wing student activists manhandled the journalist after she questioned protesters supporting the UGC regulations. He further claimed that some of those involved were not Delhi University students and demanded strict action from the police and the university administration.
The journalist, identified as Tiwari, later alleged that protesters targeted her because she is a Brahmin, adding a caste dimension to the already charged political confrontation on campus. ABVP blamed left-leaning student organisations, particularly the All India Students’ Association (AISA), for the violence.
However, AISA strongly rejected these allegations and offered a counter-narrative. In its statement, the organisation accused right-wing student groups of initiating the violence and claimed that its Delhi University secretary, Anjali, was physically assaulted while trying to protect the journalist from being heckled. AISA also alleged that despite the presence of security personnel, the attackers were allowed to act unchecked. The group further claimed that when students later went to lodge a complaint, a large crowd gathered outside the police station, issuing threats, while police failed to intervene.
Delhi Police confirmed that the matter is under investigation. A senior officer said a scuffle broke out between two groups of students and that a complaint has been received. Medical examination of the complainant has been conducted, and legal action will follow based on the enquiry.
The clash erupted during a demonstration supporting new UGC regulations, parts of which are currently stayed by the Supreme Court. With both sides trading allegations and no arrests made so far, tensions continue to simmer on campus.
