3 weeks ago
ISKCON-linked JNU event cancelled after JNUSU protest
Students at a big university in India were upset about a special talk happening on their campus.
The talk was connected to ISKCON, a religious organization.
The student group, called JNUSU, held a protest outside the library where the talk was planned.
After the protest, the event was cancelled.
The students said the university's rules do not allow religious groups to use the convention centre.
They had complained about a similar religious event the year before, in November 2025.
The union also said the event's sign-up form asked for hostel names and separate contact numbers for girls and boys.
University leaders did not answer reporters when they asked about what happened.
JNUSU said the administration had not even replied to its earlier letter, so the protest showed their objection.
JNUSU staged a protest on Friday outside JNU's central library against an event featuring an ISKCON representative, following which the programme was cancelled.
The event, titled 'Empowering Youth for a Brighter Future', included a session on 'Balancing EQ, IQ and SQ'.
JNUSU general secretary Sunil Yadav said the union had objected since November 2025 to ISKCON being allowed to hold a Bhagavad Gita event on campus.
The union cited university rules stating the convention centre 'cannot be made available to any political/religious organisation'.
JNUSU alleged the event's registration form sought hostel names and separate contact numbers for 'girls' and 'boys'; the administration did not respond to PTI's requests for comment.
- Who
- The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), led by general secretary Sunil Yadav, and the JNU administration; ISKCON was set to feature a speaker.
- What
- JNUSU protested against an ISKCON-linked event at JNU, leading to the programme being cancelled.
- Where
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, outside the central library where the event was scheduled.
- When
- On Friday; the union had earlier raised objections in November 2025, including a letter dated November 30, 2025.
- Why
- JNUSU said university statutory rules and convention centre booking rules bar political or religious organisations from holding such events on campus.
Key facts
- Event title
- 'Empowering Youth for a Brighter Future'
- Event venue
- JNU Central Library, New Delhi
- Session featured
- 'Balancing EQ, IQ and SQ'
- Protest date
- Friday (exact date not given in the articles)
- Union leader
- Sunil Yadav, JNUSU general secretary
- Prior objection
- Union letter/email of November 30, 2025 flagging ISKCON's Gita event
- University rule cited
- Convention centre 'cannot be made available to any political/religious organisation'
- Administration response
- No response to PTI queries; JNUSU says its November 2025 communication was unanswered
Quotes
JNU vice‑chancellor
Vice‑chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University
“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.”
m.rediff.com
“The facility "cannot be made available to any political/religious organisation".”
m.rediff.com
Sources
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