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 university’s security branch formally approached the Delhi Police, seeking registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against those involved. In its communication, the administration described the slogans as inflammatory and objectionable, warning that such acts had the potential to disturb communal harmony and public order. Officials also indicated that the slogans could amount to contempt of court, as they were raised in the immediate aftermath of a Supreme Court order.

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.

The controversy has also drawn sharp reactions from political circles, with several leaders condemning the slogans and accusing sections of the campus of repeatedly crossing the line in the name of dissent. They argued that freedom of expression cannot be used as a shield for targeting constitutional authorities or undermining judicial processes.

Meanwhile, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) defended the event and the broader expression of dissent. Student representatives claimed that the slogans were ideological in nature and aimed at opposing policies rather than personally attacking individuals. They also accused the administration of selectively targeting student activism and criminalising dissenting voices on campus.

The incident once again brings JNU into the national spotlight for its deeply polarised political atmosphere, where debates over nationalism, dissent, and free speech frequently spill into public controversy. It also comes at a time when the legal proceedings related to the 2020 Delhi riots continue to draw intense scrutiny, keeping figures like Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam at the centre of national debate.

As the police examine the videos and the university weighs disciplinary action, the episode is likely to further fuel the ongoing discussion on the limits of protest, the role of universities in political expression, and the fine balance between free speech and accountability in academic spaces.