New Delhi: The Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) election season was marred by violence on Tuesday when the Fraternity Movement alleged that its prospective candidate, Ahmed Rabeeh, along with other members, was brutally assaulted by activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) while attempting to submit his nomination papers, with his documents allegedly torn, effectively preventing him from filing his candidature.
The injured student, along with other members of the Fraternity Movement, is currently undergoing treatment, and the organisation has termed the incident a direct assault on democratic values, announcing plans to file a formal complaint against the attackers. Condemning the attack, the group described it as “shameful” and “a barbaric act,” demanding that the Delhi Police register an attempt to murder case against the ABVP members allegedly involved.
The Fraternity Movement further accused ABVP of promoting a culture of fear and intimidation, declaring that what happened was not student politics but “dictatorship in the garb of hierarchy” and warning that silence in the face of such violence would only embolden the perpetrators.
ABVP, founded in 1949 to counter communist influence and now claiming over five million members, gained control of DUSU in 1974, marking the beginning of an era of heightened political polarisation on campus, with scholars noting that these confrontations often serve as proxy battles for broader ideological struggles between right-wing and progressive student groups.
With DUSU elections, held annually in August–September, involving more than 700,000 students and regarded as one of the largest student elections in the world, nomination disruptions have previously been ruled illegal by the Delhi High Court in 2019, yet enforcement remains inconsistent, raising fresh questions about the ability of authorities to ensure free and fair student politics.
