Amongst all the din and excitement of a new academic year, the chaos caused by the construction work at various points on campus stood out as a sore thumb. An issue that has already caused much trouble for many is the usage of college hostels by the Delhi government for the Commonwealth Games.
The University Community for Democracy is a group of students and ex-students of Delhi University, concerned about the eviction of students and the manner in which this was carried out. The group started its discussions online during the holidays, concerned about reports in the media about the eviction of students from hostels and the lack of any official statement from either the University or the colleges. Realising that it was too late to actually stop the process since it had begun, they nonetheless decided to go ahead and raise their concerns. Devika Narayan, among those who started the group, and a student at the Delhi School of Economics, says that the group wants students, teachers and others on campus to “claim the University as a community”.
The facebook group “Resist Forced Eviction of Students in the Name of Commonwealth Games” lists the group’s aims and also shows what student movements around the world have achieved, as examples. The group’s regular meetings are open for anyone who has an interest in the issue and wants to be a part of these discussions. As of now, there is a protest meet planned on the 30th of July at the Arts Faculty.
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