SFI staged a protest at the Arts Faculty, DU on 6th August 2025, demanding action against ABVP for its alleged role in multiple campus sexual violence cases across India.
SFI (Student Federation of India) members led by Sohan Yadav, President of SFI Central Delhi area, demonstrated a protest at the Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi on 6th August 2025. The demonstration was held in solidarity with a student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, whose tragic death in July has sparked national outrage and renewed scrutiny of the alleged misconduct and impunity associated with members of the BJP-affiliated student group, ABVP.
The 20-year-old student died after self-immolating on campus in July 2025. The victim had reportedly faced sexual harassment from a faculty member and had filed multiple complaints, which were allegedly ignored by the college administration. The case took a shocking turn when the Odisha Crime Branch arrested Subhra Sambit Nayak, the state joint secretary of ABVP, and Jyoti Prakash Biswal, a student and initial “witness” who had recorded the incident instead of intervening. Both were charged with abetment to suicide and criminal conspiracy. The arrests drew intense backlash and further highlighted the alleged impunity enjoyed by ABVP leaders across educational institutions.
Coming on the heels of the IIT-BHU rape case, this incident has fueled growing public concern over the ABVP’s repeated involvement in campus violence and sexual abuse allegations. The accused—Kunal Pandey, Saksham Patel, and Anand (alias Abhishek Chauhan)—were later identified as members of the BJP’s Varanasi IT cell, with Pandey and Patel holding convenor positions. The delayed arrests and eventual bail granted to two of them in July 2024 sparked nationwide outrage. Protests by students and civil society groups demanded institutional reforms and the implementation of gender-sensitisation mechanisms. Allegations also surfaced that ABVP even attempted to disrupt campus protests
Further, recently the Rajasthan police booked three ABVP members, who were accused of canvassing for a student leader seeking a ticket from the ABVP for students’ union elections in the university.
Sohan Kumar Yadav addressed the crowd and importantly, pointed out
Why was there such a wilful negligence by the Chief Minister’s Office who had received all the complaints? This shows very clearly the involvement of the state government.
Sohan Yadav further claimed in the protest that ABVP’s alleged involvement in multiple rape cases in University campuses across the country is a recurring trend, and the body must claim responsibility for the same.
SFI Student members demanded strict action against the alleged involvement of ABVP in these rape cases and termed it a ‘rapist organisation’ which shields people who outrage the modesty of women, especially on educational campuses.
Read also: Minor Girl Rescued After Gang Rape Near Moolchand, Alleged Police Inaction
Featured image credits- SFI Instagram page
Madhav Choudhary
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