Jammu University tense ahead of union election, NSUI protests

Jammu: Congress-backed NSUI staged a protest at the Jammu University on Tuesday, accusing the varsity administration and the police of supporting their opponents, the ABVP, following clashes between the two groups a day earlier.

The clashes happened during campaiging for the first phase of the students union election scheduled for September 25 at the university.

Several students were injured, officials said, but added none of them suffered serious injuries.

The president of National Students Union of India (NSUI), Neeraj Kundan, led students during the protest, and accused RSS-linked Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists of roughing up a law department student without any provocation.

Kundan said the university administration and the police favoured the ABVP "under the influence of BJP ministers".

Despite a written complaint, the police did not register an FIR against the ABVP activists, the NSUI alleges.

"If strict action against the culprits involved in roughing up the student is not taken immediately, we will protest aggressively and even boycott the elections," Kundan said.

Department and class representatives would be elected as executive members in the first phase of the union election.

The elected student representatives from each department would form an electoral college who will elect the office- bearers of the union, the voting for which will take place in the second phase on October 6.

The results of election would be announced the same day.