Pune: Recent events at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have raised concerns, with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accusing members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Lokayat Organization of assaulting students who declined to join their respective ranks. However, the Lokayat organization has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that none of its members were present during the incident in question.
The incident at SPPU involved various student organizations reportedly attempting to enroll students, leading to confrontations when some students refused to participate. ABVP has called for stringent actions against those involved in the incident, including members of SFI and Lokayat. In response, the Lokayat organization clarified that it had no ties to the incident.
The Lokayat organization emphasized its unwavering commitment to working within the boundaries of the constitution and promoting the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. The organization stated that it does not engage in membership registration drives and had no part in the membership enrollment activities that transpired at Pune University on November 1, 2023. The Lokayat Sangathan categorically rejected ABVP’s allegations against its members, deeming them entirely baseless.
During the incident, SFI’s state president, along with central committee member Somnath Nirmal, city secretary Abhishek Shinde, and Ganesh Jankar, sustained injuries, alongside other activists. SFI has accused ABVP of resorting to unwarranted violence, disrupting what was intended to be a peaceful membership registration program. According to SFI, the university’s security department initially remained passive but eventually intervened to defuse the situation.
