Food festival at JNU courts controversy

The Jawaharlal Nehru University’s traditional International Food Festival, that is put up every Republic Day, ran into controversy on Sunday when some Kashmiri students attempted to put up a stall. 

Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student union affiliated to the Bharatiya Janata Party, objected to the development saying only stalls from other countries should be allowed at the festival.

“Kashmir is a part of India and not an international State or another country. So it is not right that these students put up a stall at a festival meant for foreign countries. We did not create any trouble but complained to the administration, the police and the international students’ association for giving them permission to do so,” said ABVP’s Sandip Singh. 

He also added that there were a few stalls selling Indian food, but they did not put up any banner stating that they were from a particular State. 

“They mean to stir up a controversy and create an unpleasant atmosphere in the University. We told the organisers that if they are going to give permission to Kashmir, then they should allow stalls of other States like Bihar, Kerala, etc.,” added Sandip.

Although students in the university did not seem to know much about what was happening, a few of them who were involved posted their grievances on social media. 

The International Students’ Association, the organisers of the festival, could not be reached for their reaction.