Hyderabad: The ABVP and SFI held separate press conferences to explain the violent clashes on the University of Hyderabad campus last week. The SFI said the ABVP cadres had attacked students, including a person with disabilities (PwD) scholar, Harsh Raj on April 13 for questioning the playing of communal songs at a departmental event.
The situation deteriorated on the night of April 17 when, according to the SFI, ABVP members harassed students including Harsh, escalating to use of deadly weapons and resulting in several students being hospitalised.
T. Nagaraju, the SFI state secretary, told Deccan Chronicle: "This isn't just an attack, it's an orchestrated attempt by the ABVP to terrorise students and suppress democratic voices under the guise of communal tension."
The ABVP described these events as a targeted assault which was premeditated and brutal. They accused the SFI of disrupting a peaceful Rama Navami celebration, and alleged that the SFI's actions were influenced by its intolerance towards Hindu religious practices.
An ABVP spokesperson said, "The allegations levelled by the SFI and their cohorts are not only baseless but are also indicative of their Hinduphobic tendencies, which disrespect our constitutional rights and societal harmony."
