JNU Event Triggers Slogan Controversy After Supreme Court Bail Denial

A fresh political controversy has erupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) following an event on campus during which objectionable slogans were allegedly raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The incident took place on January 5, coinciding with the Supreme Court’s refusal to grant bail to former JNU student leaders Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots.

According to university authorities, the event — titled “A Night of Resistance with Guerrilla Dhaba” — was organised to mark the sixth anniversary of the January 2020 violence at the JNU campus. Soon after the programme, videos began circulating on social media platforms showing a group of participants raising provocative slogans directed at the country’s top political leadership. The content of the slogans sparked widespread criticism and prompted the JNU administration to step in.

The JNU administration said it had taken “serious cognisance” of the matter, emphasising that the campus cannot be allowed to become a platform for activities that promote hatred or incite unrest. It reiterated that while democratic expression is a core value of the university, it must remain within the bounds of the law and institutional discipline.