RSS' student wing ABVP seems to have won this round.

Allahabad University Students Union president Richa Singh has backed down from inviting senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan as chief speaker after ABVP protests.

Varadarajan tweeted ‏@svaradarajan So in the face of ABVP's threats, the Allahabad Univ admin & city admin have forced the cancellation of my talk on freedom of speech!

The Indian Express reported that Varadarajan had been invited for a national seminar being held on the campus on Wednesday.

The ABVP leaders, who hold significant posts in the union, sat on an indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday outside the residence of AU Vice-Chancellor R L Hangloo demanding cancellation of the seminar.

The seminar, on Democracy, media and freedom of expression, was to be presided over by Hangloo.

Late Tuesday, Richa sent an email to the President, the Prime Minister and Union HRD minister, informing them that if any untoward incident happened on Wednesday, then ABVP members of the student union would be responsible for the same.

She claimed there was imminent danger that the student leaders would attack her, other organisers of the event and the speaker.

Most shocking is the role of the vice-chancellor, who has refused to take responsibility of our security He has forced me to write a letter that I am conducting this event at my own risk and whatever happens tomorrow is not his responsibility, Richa added, seeking that the HRD Ministry directs the V-C to ensure security on the campus.

Earlier in the day, ABVP leader and AUSU vice-president Vikrant Singh said, There are two reasons behind our protest. First, the union president did not consult us before planning the event.

Secondly, Siddharth Varadarajan is a controversial man, who used to write pro-naxal and anti-national articles. Richa has invited a person who has a communal mindset while she herself had earlier opposed campus visit of BJP MP Yogi Adityanath last year, calling him communal.