New Delhi | January 6, 2026

The administration of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has approached the Delhi Police seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) after a controversy erupted over slogans allegedly raised by students against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The request was made by the university’s security chief on Tuesday, following an incident that took place on the JNU campus the previous night.

According to the written complaint submitted to the police, the slogans were raised during a programme held outside the Sabarmati Hostel on Monday night. The event was organised by students to mark the sixth anniversary of the violence that occurred at JNU on January 5, 2020. Initially, the gathering was described as peaceful and limited to commemorating the anniversary of the incident.

However, the university administration claimed that the nature of the programme changed later in the evening. The complaint stated that after the Supreme Court denied bail to jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, some students began raising slogans that were described as “highly objectionable, provocative, and inflammatory.” Both Khalid and Imam are former JNU students and are currently in custody under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.

The JNU administration alleged that the slogans were raised deliberately and repeatedly, and were clearly audible on the campus. The letter to the police claimed that these slogans were in direct contempt of the Supreme Court of India and went beyond the limits of democratic dissent. It further stated that such actions violated the JNU Code of Conduct.

The university expressed concern that the slogans had the potential to disturb public order and disrupt campus harmony. According to the complaint, the incident posed risks to the safety and security environment of the university. The administration also noted that officials from JNU’s security department were present at the site and closely monitored the situation while the programme was underway.

In a separate official statement, the JNU administration said it had taken “very serious cognizance” of videos from the event that were circulating on social media. The statement added that the competent authority had instructed the security branch to fully cooperate with the police during the investigation. The administration described the incident as showing “wilful disrespect for constitutional institutions and established norms of civil and democratic discourse.”

The written request to the police also included the names of several students identified as prominent participants in the programme. These included Aditi Mishra, Gopika Babu, Sunil Yadav, Danish Ali, Saad Azmi, Mehboob Ilahi, Kanishk, Pakeeza Khan, Shubham, and others.

Responding to the allegations, Aditi Mishra, president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), defended the students’ actions. Speaking to news agency PTI, she said that students hold a protest every year to condemn the violence that took place on the campus in January 2020. She maintained that the slogans raised during the protest were ideological in nature and did not target any individual personally. According to her, the slogans were not directed at anyone and should be seen as part of democratic expression.

The incident has once again placed JNU at the centre of a political and legal debate, recalling earlier controversies related to slogans and protests on the campus. Political reactions have followed, with debates emerging between the ruling party and the opposition over the limits of dissent and freedom of expression in universities.

The JNU administration has urged all students and stakeholders to refrain from engaging in activities that could disturb peace on the campus. It has also appealed for cooperation in maintaining harmony and a safe academic environment.

As of Tuesday afternoon, it was not yet clear whether the Delhi Police had registered an FIR in connection with the incident.

 JNU Administration Writes to Delhi Police Seeking FIR Over Slogans Raised Against PM Modi and Amit Shah on Campus

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration has written to the Delhi Police seeking the registration of an FIR after a controversy broke out over slogans allegedly raised by students against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The incident took place on Monday night during a student programme held outside the Sabarmati Hostel on the JNU campus.

According to the university, the gathering was organised to mark the sixth anniversary of the January 5, 2020 violence at JNU. The administration said the event was peaceful at the beginning and focused on commemorating the incident. However, it claimed that the tone of the programme changed later in the night, especially after the Supreme Court denied bail to former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who are in jail under the UAPA in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case.

In its complaint, the JNU security chief alleged that certain students raised slogans that were “provocative, objectionable, and inflammatory.” The university stated that the slogans were repeated, clearly audible, and appeared to be deliberate. It also said the slogans violated the JNU Code of Conduct and went beyond the limits of democratic dissent, with the potential to disturb public order and campus harmony.

The administration added that security officials were present at the site and monitored the situation. It also took serious note of videos from the programme that were later circulated on social media. The university has asked its security branch to cooperate fully with the police investigation.

The complaint mentioned the names of several students who were identified as prominent during the programme, including JNUSU president Aditi Mishra. Responding to the allegations, Mishra said students protest every year to denounce the 2020 violence and that the slogans raised were ideological, not personal, and not directed at anyone.

As of Tuesday afternoon, it was not clear whether the Delhi Police had registered an FIR. The JNU administration has appealed to students and stakeholders to maintain peace and harmony on campus.