The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union successfully protested an ISKCON event at the university's central library, leading to its cancellation due to alleged violations of campus rules against religious organisations.
Key Points
- JNUSU protested an ISKCON event at JNU's central library, leading to its cancellation.
- The event, 'Empowering Youth for a Brighter Future', was to feature an ISKCON representative.
- JNUSU cited university rules prohibiting religious organisations from using campus facilities.
- The student body had previously raised objections to ISKCON events on campus in November 2025.
- The administration allegedly failed to respond to JNUSU's concerns regarding rule violations.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union on Friday held a protest outside the central library against an event that was to feature an ISKCON representative, following which the programme was cancelled, according to the student body members.
The programme, titled 'Empowering Youth for a Brighter Future', was scheduled at the university's central library and included a session on "Balancing EQ, IQ and SQ", according to posters and information shared by the union office bearers.
JNUSU Raises Objections To Religious Events On Campus
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) general secretary Sunil Yadav said objections were raised last year as well with the university administration over the permission granted to ISKCON to hold an event on the Bhagavad Gita on the campus.
"Back in November 2025, JNUSU had even written a letter to the administration, flagging the permission given to ISKCON to conduct an event on the Gita. On Friday, a speaker representative from the same organisation was supposed to speak at the library," Yadav told PTI.
"Following the protest, they had to cancel the event," he added.
University Rules And Alleged Violations
In an email addressed to the JNU vice-chancellor on November 30, 2025, the JNUSU had referred to the university's rules governing the booking of its convention centre, which state that the facility "cannot be made available to any political/religious organisation".
The union had sought clarification from the administration on the provision under which organisations such as ISKCON were allegedly being allowed to hold religious events at the convention centre.
JNUSU had also sought details of bookings of such events and the basis on which the administration's Internal House Administration (IHA) was organising them.
The email further alleged that a registration form circulated by ISKCON for the event sought details such as hostel names and had separate contact numbers for "girls" and "boys". It also objected to the programme being based on the Bhagavad Gita, describing it as a religious text.
"We believe that the administration should uphold the standard rules and regulations for the booking of the convention centre and not permit the organisation of such religious events in the convention," the union had said in the email.
Administration's Silence And JNUSU's Stance
Despite repeated attempts to reach the university administration for its response to the allegations and the cancellation of Friday's event, PTI did not receive a response.
Yadav said the university's statutory rules did not permit religious organisations to hold such programmes on the campus, alleging that "multiple such events" had nevertheless been given permission by the administration.
"According to statutory rules of the university, no religious organisation is supposed to be given approval for events like this. However, multiple such events have been given permission by the administration," he alleged.
JNUSU also claimed that the administration had not responded to its November 2025 communication.
ISKCON stands for the 'International Society for Krishna Consciousness', and it is a Hindu religious organisation with a global presence, founded in 1966.
