By IANS
New Delhi : A row over the existence of Hindu god Ram turned violent at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here Thursday, leaving at least five students and security personnel injured.
According to student activists, the trouble forced the authorities to halt, for the first time, the presidential debate in the run up to the student union elections Friday.
A leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) said it all began when Bahujan Samaj Front (BSF) presidential candidate allegedly demeaned Ram.
“When we asked him about his faith in Ram, he said ‘Ram is a Saitan’ (devil). We dragged him out of the podium,” said Manoj Kumar, vice president of ABVP, which is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).
This led to clashes between BSF and ABVP supporters. When the security personnel intervened, they too suffered blows.
The BSF, which is linked to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), had earlier circulated pamphlets challenging the existence of Ram.