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DU Students on hunger strike due to lack of hostels

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Hunger strikes seem to be a promising method to attract the attention of the authorities in India. Six students of University of Delhi went on an indefinite hunger strike on 23rd January, 2013. The strike was held to raise the demand for better accommodation for students outstation students complained of not having proper places to live in.

Students do find rooms outside the University in neighbouring areas, but the cost is not feasible for everyone. Many of them work part-time to arrange for the money. The monthly cost in these rooms comes to about Rs.5000 to Rs.7000, and that is excluding the cost for food. Including food, students pay anywhere between Rs.10,000 and Rs.15,000 monthly.

Students who are residents of Delhi also support the cause, saying that it is a basic necessity for students that come from outside Delhi. Girls complain that living in areas like Mukherjee Nagar and Vijay Nagar is a compromise on their safety. Out of around 1.8 lakh students, only 6,000 students are able to live in hostels. Questions have also arisen regarding the Students’ Union that it is not supporting and raising students’ issues, but is busy with its parties.

There is demand for healthy, nutritious and affordable food in the University. According to a senior DU official, the University has tied up with Indian Railways so that affordable food is available to the students in the canteens. There is also a demand for providing stipends to those students to whom the facility of hostels has not been provided.

About 400 signatures have been collected by the demand till now.

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