Delhi University Teacher’s Association organized a protest cum cricket match on the 14th of this month outside the Vice Chancellor’s office, to raise its voice against misuse of Antardhvani- the annual cultural festival of Delhi University, by the VC and his administration. The march which started around 11 a.m., quickly transforming into a cricket match, was one of a kind.
Even the incessant rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of teachers and students alike who gathered in large numbers shouting slogans and supporting one team or the other. They protested against the VC’s anarchy, because according to them, the VC has been using Antardhvani for his own designs, forcing principals of different colleges to make their teachers and students attend the fest.
One of the teachers pointed out that the lack of sports in the current year shows how the VC is not opening the sports fields to teachers and students but using it only for his personal purposes. They said that these fields are public property and VC has no power to stop them from utilizing it. The DUTA demanded that the University stadia that were renovated during the CWG should be thrown open for the use of students and teachers. They also addressed the issue of FYUP and stated how the four year course could still be converted into three year graduation and last year could be optional for those who want internships. “We had initially planned to play against the VC, wanting to beat all the shady people on their team but he hasn’t even been talking to us let alone turning up for this match, so we played against the students”, said Nandita Narain, the President of DUTA sarcastically. “We also want FYUP to be rolled back for the current batch but I don’t see this happening because our VC is all about the Padma Shri award”, said another member of DUTA.
All in all the protest march was yet another attempt of DUTA to bring a change in the continuously deteriorating conditions of the University. The cricket match with its satirical commentary in the pouring rain, showed how determined they are in their cause to do away with VC’s high handedness.
Similar protests were also carried out by various students’ groups, in the past week. Reiterating the misuse of the fest to promote FYUP and asking for its rollback, the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) along with members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and All India Students Association (AISA) have been up in arms against the Vice Chancellor.
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