“The DNA of all Indians is the DNA of Mahadev,” Jamia Millia Islamia Vice-Chancellor Professor Mazhar Asif said while addressing a gathering at an RSS-organised ‘Yuva Kumbh’ event on the university campus in Delhi on Tuesday.
A video of his speech has since surfaced online and is being widely shared.
In his address, Asif spoke about diversity in India, noting that people come from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. He said that despite these differences, people remain united as Indians. He added that this unity can be understood through the idea that “Mahadev’s DNA flows within us”.
Asif also described Sanatan culture as a system that promotes coexistence, referring to the depiction of Lord Mahadev’s family to explain how different beings live together.
AN RSS EVENT TRIGGERED THE ROW
The event, organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was held on the Jamia campus and drew opposition from several student groups.
Organisations including the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and the All India Students’ Association (AISA) had announced protests against the programme. A heavy police force was deployed outside the campus as a precaution.
During the event, the Vice-Chancellor welcomed RSS leaders and thanked them for organising the programme.
Meanwhile, protesting students gathered on campus and raised concerns over the event. Comrade Saiyed, AISA Delhi President and a Jamia student, criticised the university’s decision to allow the programme.
“This Jamia in which ten guards surround you just for conducting a study circle, the Jamia in which your right to protest has been restricted to one corner, that Jamia has today allowed the RSS to conduct an entire program in an AC hall,” he said.
Referring to the organisation’s presence in international forums, he said, “By inviting such an organisation, you are giving them space within your campus. We express our disagreement along with other students gathered here.”
The video of the Vice-Chancellor’s remarks has drawn mixed reactions on social media.
While some users supported his comments on unity, others questioned the nature of the event and its location within a central university campus.
The university has not issued a detailed statement on the developments so far.
