DU: YouTuber Ruchi Tiwari Taunts Dalit-Backward Students with "5000 Years Without Water" Remark, Sparks High-Voltage Drama!

New Delhi- Delhi University's prestigious North Campus turned into an arena on February 13. The event was linked to an ongoing protest against the UGC (University Grants Commission)'s new guidelines, but it quickly grabbed headlines over a "water question." This was no ordinary question, it was a sharp sarcasm aimed at Dalit identity and the historic Mahad Satyagraha, escalating into a scuffle between protesting students and a female YouTuber, Ruchi Tiwari.

The sequence began when several student groups and Bahujan-ideology students gathered at North Campus to protest the UGC issue. Meanwhile, self-proclaimed journalist and YouTuber Ruchi Tiwari arrived at the spot. According to viral videos and eyewitness accounts, what started as "reporting" soon turned into insulting taunts.

A viral video of Ruchi Tiwari is spreading like wildfire on social media, in which she runs around asking protesting students the same question repeatedly:

"What, brother, didn't you get water? You didn't get water either? 5000 years without water... Look, they won't say they don't want reservation..."

The "Water" Taunt and Rising Fury

Experts say this "water" jibe was a direct attack on Dalit history and the pain of untouchability, against which Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led the Mahad Satyagraha to secure Dalits' right to drink water from public reservoirs like Chavdar Tank. Fact-checker Mohammad Zubair and the X handle @ambedkariteIND shared video clips, stating that Ruchi Tiwari deliberately provoked the students. Zubair wrote, "This woman is not a journalist; she runs a propaganda channel." He tagged ANI's Smita Prakash, questioning how a YouTuber mocked students' historical struggle.

The situation worsened when Ruchi Tiwari allegedly pushed a female student forcefully to the ground. Naveen Kumar Nandan (from BAMCEF News) claimed that while he was reporting, the woman in a red sweater (Ruchi Tiwari) tried to snatch his phone. He said she had previously attempted to disrupt the atmosphere at Jantar Mantar during a Bhim Army protest. Another X user @Nher_who shared a video and wrote, "Ruchi Tiwari infiltrated a peaceful protest, assaulted a Dalit girl, and when Dalits protested, she started playing the victim card."

After the incident, in an interview with news agency ANI, Ruchi Tiwari presented herself as the victim. She leveled serious allegations against the student group (whom she called "UGC goons"):

"Girls near me whispered rape threats in my ears... They said, 'Today we'll take you out for a naked parade.' This was an attempt to murder; I fainted. I was attacked because of my caste (Brahmin)."

Meanwhile, ABVP supported Ruchi Tiwari. ABVP Delhi State Minister Sarthak Sharma said, "Left-wing organizations have lost relevance, so they are attacking a female journalist to stay in the news."

Seeing the tension, Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh issued an appeal for peace. He said, "The incident that occurred yesterday in the university is a matter of concern. Maintaining social harmony is everyone's duty. The UGC rules are currently under consideration in the Supreme Court, so everyone should exercise patience."

Police have registered an FIR. Social media is now abuzz with debate: Was this "journalism" or a "pre-planned provocation"?

Profile Check: Who is Ruchi Tiwari?

Based on social media archives and viral content, Ruchi Tiwari is a prominent face on social media, known for her aggressive "gotcha"-style interviews. She often visits crowded political protests, especially those by left-wing or opposition parties and asks uncomfortable, provocative questions. Critics say her aim is not reporting but forcing protesters into angry reactions to make clips go viral. Her videos clearly lean toward right-wing ideology, and she is vocal on 'Sanatan' and 'Savarna' issues.