Students Clash at Delhi’s South Asian University Over Non-Veg Food on Maha Shivratri

A tense situation unfolded at South Asian University (SAU) in Delhi on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, when two student groups clashed over non-vegetarian food being served in the university mess on Maha Shivratri. The Hindu festival, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is traditionally observed with fasting and vegetarian meals, making the incident a flashpoint for controversy.

The conflict involved the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), two prominent student organizations. Both groups pointed fingers at each other for starting the violence. According to the SFI, ABVP members attacked students and mess staff for refusing to stop serving non-veg food. They claimed ABVP “goons” manhandled students, including dragging women by their hair, as seen in videos circulating online.

In contrast, the ABVP accused SFI members of disrupting religious harmony. They said many students were fasting for Maha Shivratri and had requested “satvik” (pure vegetarian) food, which the university arranged in one of its two messes. ABVP alleged that SFI students forcibly tried to serve non-vegetarian food in the designated fasting area, sparking the clash.

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Delhi Police received a call about the quarrel at 3:45 pm at Maidangarhi Police Station. Officers arrived to find an altercation in progress but reported no formal complaints so far. A female student injured in the scuffle alerted authorities via a PCR call and is now under medical examination as police verify the facts. The SAU administration has stayed silent but is conducting an internal inquiry.

Videos of the incident have gone viral, with SFI posting footage on X, condemning ABVP’s actions. The clash has raised questions about religious freedom, student rights, and campus harmony. Maha Shivratri, a significant festival in 2025, often sees dietary restrictions, amplifying the sensitivity of the issue.

This isn’t the first time student groups have clashed over food preferences in India, but the violence at SAU has drawn widespread attention. As the investigation continues, students and authorities are left grappling with how to prevent such incidents in the future.