New Delhi: On Friday, March 21, Delhi Police arrested Hazrat Parwana, a student leader from Jamia Millia Islamia, in connection with a scuffle that occurred during Diwali celebrations in October 2024. The incident was reportedly instigated by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a Hindu right-wing student organization, reported the New Indian Express.
The altercation took place on October 24, 2024, when approximately 30 to 40 students affiliated with ABVP, including individuals from other universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Delhi University (DU), gathered outside Jamia Millia Islamia to hold a ‘Deep Mahotsav’ event. The university administration had not granted permission for this event, leading to tensions between the groups.
Following Parwana’s arrest, student organizations such as the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Progressive Students’ Association (PSA) have condemned the action. They allege that the arrest is unjust and part of a broader pattern of administrative overreach and suppression of dissent on campus.
This development has raised concerns about campus security and the treatment of student activists, particularly those from minority communities. The university administration and Delhi Police have yet to issue official statements regarding the arrest.
