Tensions flared at Rajasthan University as the Congress party sharply criticized the state BJP government for permitting a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Vijayadashmi event on campus and arresting the state president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the Congress’s student wing. The controversy erupted on Tuesday when NSUI activists protested the RSS event, leading to a confrontation and the arrest of several students, including NSUI state president Vinod Jakhar.

The NSUI activists, barred from entering through the university’s main gate due to heavy police presence, gained access through a side entrance and reached the sports ground where the RSS event was set to take place. Amid rainfall, the activists allegedly tore down a poster for the event and clashed briefly with RSS volunteers managing parking arrangements. The police intervened, using force to disperse the protesters, and the RSS event was later shifted to the campus corridors due to the weather.

Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, condemned the incident, accusing the university administration of bowing to RSS pressure by allowing a “weapons worship ceremony” on campus. Gehlot demanded the immediate release of Jakhar and other detained NSUI activists, alleging that police personnel vandalized the vehicles of NSUI leaders. “The high-handedness of the BJP government and the violence by RSS volunteers against students are unacceptable,” Gehlot stated. He claimed to have spoken with the Jaipur Police Commissioner to express his outrage and ensure the release of the arrested students. Gehlot also checked on the well-being of injured student Ravindra Meghwal, coordinating with doctors for his treatment.

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Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully echoed Gehlot’s sentiments, calling the incident a “blatant act of suppressing democracy.” He accused RSS members of attacking NSUI activists with batons while the police stood by as “silent spectators.” Jully criticized the BJP government for politicizing educational institutions, stating, “This is not democracy; it’s dictatorship. The police themselves damaged NSUI vehicles, which is an orchestrated attempt to silence dissent.”

AICC general secretary and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot also weighed in, condemning the BJP for turning educational institutions into “centers of political activity.” He described the RSS’s weapon worship program as inappropriate for a university campus and expressed solidarity with the NSUI activists. “The use of force against peaceful protesters and the arrest of student leaders are deeply concerning,” Pilot said, urging the authorities to uphold democratic values and protect students’ rights to protest.

The Congress party has called for strict action against the police personnel involved in the alleged vandalism and demanded accountability from the university administration. The incident has sparked a broader debate about the role of political organizations in educational institutions and the state government’s handling of student protests. As tensions continue to simmer, the Congress has vowed to intensify its opposition to what it calls the BJP’s “authoritarian tactics” on Rajasthan’s campuses.

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