‘Inflammatory, Inconsistent With Democratic Dissent’: JNU On Umar Khalid-Sharjeel Imam Slogan Row

Students protest outside a dhaba inside the JNU campus.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Tuesday said it has taken “very serious cognisance” of videos circulating on social media showing students raising slogans during a protest on campus on Monday evening. In a statement, the university said a group of students associated with the JNUSU had raised “highly objectionable, provocative and inflammatory slogans,” prompting immediate action by the authorities.

The JNU administration said the competent authority has taken serious note of the incident and directed the university’s security branch to cooperate with the police in the ongoing investigation.

It stressed that such sloganeering is inconsistent with democratic dissent, violates the JNU Code of Conduct, and has the potential to seriously disturb public order, campus harmony, and the safety and security environment of both the university and the nation.

The statement said the act reflects a wilful disrespect for constitutional institutions and established norms of civil and democratic discourse, and underscored the need to distinguish between dissent, abuse, and hate speech that can lead to public disorder. The administration urged all stakeholders to refrain from such activities and to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony on campus, warning that strict action would be taken as per rules in case of any further.

Security Officer’s Report Flags Intentional Sloganeering

A report submitted by the Chief Security Officer to the JNU Proctor has concluded that the objectionable slogans raised on campus earlier this week were deliberate and intentional, and not the result of any spontaneous expression. The report noted that the sloganeering began after the Supreme Court denied bail to former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case.

According to the report, around 30–35 students were present at the gathering held at the “Guerilla Dhaba” area of the campus. Several students were identified, including Aditi Mishra, Gopika Babu, Sunil Yadav, Danish Ali, Saad Azmi, Mehboob Ilahi, Kanishk, Pakeeza Khan and Shubham, among others. While the programme initially remained peaceful, the report said the nature and tone of the gathering changed significantly following the court verdict.

The security assessment stated that “highly objectionable, provocative and inflammatory slogans” were raised, describing the act as a direct contempt of the Supreme Court of India. It said the sloganeering was inconsistent with democratic dissent, violated the JNU Code of Conduct, and had the potential to disturb public order, campus harmony, and the overall safety and security environment of the university.

The report further mentioned that the slogans were clearly audible, repeated and deliberate, indicating “intentional and conscious misconduct rather than any spontaneous or inadvertent expression.” Based on these findings, an FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).