Reported sloganeering against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on Monday evening has sparked sharp political reactions across parties.
The slogans were raised shortly after the Supreme Court rejected bail pleas of former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. The timing of the protest has added to the political heat around the campus incident.
According to reports, around 30–40 students affiliated with Left-wing student groups, including the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI), gathered near the ‘Guerrilla Dhaba’ inside the campus. During the gathering, slogans critical of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister were raised.
The incident drew immediate reactions from BJP leaders, who linked the sloganeering to the Supreme Court verdict and accused Left-leaning groups of promoting anti-national views.
“MODI SHAH KI KABRA KHUDEGI JNU KI DHARTI PAR”
Urban Naxals in support of Anti National Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam protested late night in JNU outside Sabarmati Hostel.
This is not protest, this appropriation of Anti India Thought!
Intellectual Terorist can be academics,… pic.x.com/vwDoiI63pf
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी) (@pradip103) January 6, 2026
Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam cannot apply for bail for one year: What the SC said in Delhi riots case
BJP, ABVP leaders condemn slogans; Left, Congress urge caution
Union Minister Giriraj Singh described JNU as a centre of what he called the “Tukde-Tukde Gang”. He said, “JNU has become the office of the ‘Tukde-Tukde Gang’ and people with anti-national mindsets like Rahul Gandhi, whether they belong to the RJD, TMC, or the Left parties. They shouldn’t forget that this is India, this is Narendra Modi’s India of the 21st century. Vivekananda said that saffron will prevail…”
From the campus, ABVP leader Manish Choudhary, Vice President of the JNU unit, said such sloganeering had become frequent. He said, “Yesterday, there were slogans of ‘ABVP-RSS ki kabar khudegi’ raised in JNU. Such sloganeering at JNU is common now. ABVP-RSS have over crores of workers. Are they talking about digging graves for crores of workers?”
Choudhary also welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said the slogans reflected frustration after court verdicts. He said, “Some people raise slogans against the nation, religion, verdict of Supreme Court, in support of Afzal Guru, terrorists, naxals… The naxals, terrorists are being eliminated and those who conspired against Delhi, the Supreme Court has announced its verdict on it, so this is just their frustration…”
Another Delhi Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, strongly condemned the sloganeering. He said, “If there will be protests in this country, even against the Supreme Court’s rulings, then what is left? These people have no regard for the country, the constitution, or the law.” He also alleged political backing to those protesting.
BJP spokespersons also reacted on social media, describing the protesters as part of what they termed an “urban Naxal” ecosystem. These remarks were made in response to the sloganeering following the bail denial.
From the Left, CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah said slogans of this nature should be avoided. He said, “Though these kinds of slogans should not be raised… They should be very careful in raising slogans…”
Congress leader Udit Raj defended the protest, calling it an expression of resentment. He said, “There is outrage in the JNU (against the Supreme Court’s verdict in the 2020 Delhi Riots larger conspiracy case)… Injustice was done to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The SC verdict is very unfortunate…”
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said they have not received any complaint in connection with the reported sloganeering at the JNU campus.
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