The protest followed a JNUSU statement on Friday demanding the V-C’s resignation over what it called “blatantly casteist statements” made during the media interview published last week.A large student protest at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) late Sunday night spiralled into clashes, with both the Left-led students’ union and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accusing each other of violence and alleged stone-pelting.Over a hundred students marched from Sabarmati T Point to the East Gate near the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, escalating demonstrations against V-C Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit over remarks she made in a recent podcast interview and the rustication of elected office-bearers of the JNU Students’ Union.As the march progressed, purported videos began circulating on social media showing groups of students hurling stones, while physical scuffles broke out at multiple points on campus.Left-affiliated student groups alleged that ABVP members initiated the violence. “See how ABVP started stone pelting when Bahujan and progressive students of the campus rise against the casteist VC and the rustication of the Union,” a message circulated by Left groups alleged, accompanied by purported video clips of the clashes.Another statement described the events as a “massive attack on the ongoing students’ movement,” alleging that protesters were isolated and assaulted.ABVP, however, rejected those claims and released its own videos and statements accusing Left activists of attacking women students. “Left’s attack on female students of JNU continues,” the ABVP alleged in a message circulated online.The organisation alleged that “Left hooligans attacked female students with chairs and sticks,” naming individuals it claimed were visible in the purported videos, and accusing a JNUSU office-bearer of attempting to snatch mobile phones from students recording the violence. The ABVP further alleged that campus security personnel failed to intervene.Story continues below this adThe protest followed a JNUSU statement on Friday demanding the V-C’s resignation over what it called “blatantly casteist statements” made during the media interview published last week. The union objected in particular to her criticism of the University Grants Commission’s new equity regulations, which she described as “totally unnecessary”, “irrational”, and an example of “wokeism”.In the interview, Pandit had said, “You cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card. This was done for the Blacks; the same thing was brought for Dalits here.”Before the clashes, student leaders had addressed protesters near the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, describing the mobilisation as one of the largest on campus in recent months.“We are protesting against the VC’s casteist remarks and against the rustication of the JNUSU office bearers,” said Nitish Kumar, a former JNUSU president who was rusticated last year for participating in protests against the installation of facial recognition cameras in the university’s Central Library. “Such a Vice-Chancellor has no place in a campus like JNU,” he said.Story continues below this adResponding to the controversy, Pandit had told PTI that her remarks had been taken out of context and rejected the allegation that they were casteist. “I am a Bahujan myself, I come from an OBC background,” she said.“I meant that wokes have written history like this. And those who opposed workers had this to say about permanent victimhood and imaginary worlds being created,” she said.On the equity regulations, Pandit said during the interview that they had been introduced without adequate consultation. “It was done secretly. Many of us who are part of the system didn’t even know what was in it,” she said, calling the regulations unnecessary and constitutionally flawed.Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)