The general public outcry against the alleged molesting of women at a pub in Mangalore, by a group of forty hooligans was mirrored by students of the University of Delhi, here on Friday. On the 25^th of January, about 15 to 20 activists, reportedly belonging to Sri Ram Sena, barged into the pub and assaulted boys and girls dancing there, accusing them of behaving in an “obscene manner”.

A group of DU students, under the banner of the All India Students’ association vented their anger by burning effigies of Sri Ram Sene, believed to be behind this deplorable act. Some however adopted a more pacifistic approach. In lieu of this event a protest march across the university campus was organized, wherein participants addressed students at canteens and other public places.

Labeling this incident a fascist diktat these outraged students carried placards that read ‘Down with saffron terrorism’, ‘Resist patriarchy and fascism, defend women’s rights.’ ‘Be it Taliban or Sangh Parivar – both are terrorists’, ‘Shame on attacks on freedom of expression – be it in DU or in Mangalore’, ‘Yeddyurappa must resign’ were some of the slogans that were raised.

 This incident, not the first of its kind, once again brought to light the injustices being perpetuated in the garb of ‘moral policing’.  The irony of this shameful act happening on the eve of the Republic Day was not lost upon these students. They viewed it as not only a case of blatant denial of women’s rights but also a means of curbing individual freedom.

Teachers and educationists across the country finally get a breather after much a long drawn struggle for wage revision. The proposal for a 70 per cent salary hike for college professors finally got the Cabinet’s nod on 15^th December 2008. The Cabinet’s sanction for the recommendations of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) Pay Review Committee for teachers, led by Professor G K Chadha, is a promissory relief for more than five lakh teachers in over 400 universities and more than 6,000 colleges. Incidentally, the approval came on a day when around 8,000 teachers in Delhi University started an indefinite strike to demand an increase in their pay.

The UGC panel has also recommended bonus allowances and new positions to teachers in the higher education sector. It has suggested that the age of retirement be raised to 65 years, with a provision of being extendable up to 70 years. Women teachers can now opt for a two to three year sabbatical to raise their children instead of going  on a short maternity leave. “All these proposals come in the light of preventing ‘stagnation’ in their careers and also to attract youngsters to take up teaching as a serious profession,” says Sanjay Kumar, a professor in Delhi University.

 The UGC committee has advocated the introduction of new positions, like senior associate professor, senior professor and professor of eminence. At the entry level, a faculty member will join as an assistant professor instead of a lecturer. While a lecturer’s pay scale previously ranged fom Rs.8,000 to Rs.13,500, it will now lie between Rs.15,600 to Rs.39,100 for assistant professors. Similarly, the committee has recommended a new pay band of Rs.37,400 to Rs.67,000 for professors against the existing scale of Rs.16,400 to Rs.22,400. A vice-chancellor will get a fixed amount of Rs.80,000 per month against the present package of Rs. 25,000.They are also rewarded with an additional allowance towards house rent, transport, special duty, travel and medical expenses. The panel has also recommended amendments to the teacher-assessment process. It is suggested that students get a chance to evaluate their teachers and they will be judged on the basis of the number of research papers they publish.

 The UGC panel report, even though it was submitted to the ministry in October this year, could not be taken to the Cabinet earlier because of the model code of conduct having come into effect after the announcement of Assembly Elections in five states.

The University Community, an independent group of teachers and students of the University of Delhi had organized a discussion on Communalism, Fascism and Democracy: Rhetoric and Reality on the 6th of November at the Arts Faculty. What happened during that meeting has been described by man as the “fascist agenda coming out in the open”.

One of the panelists at the discussion was S.A.R. Geelani from Zakir Hussain College. Despite being acquitted by the Supreme Court in the Parliament attack case, the BJP continues to maintain that he is “not above suspicion”. As a result, his mere presence aroused what ABVP reffered to as “patriotic emotions” which manifested themselves in the declaration by them that Mr. Geelani could not speak at the University. This undemocratic proclamation was accompanied by vandalism at the college campus. Witnesses report that ABVP affiliate DUSU president Nupur Sharma also joined in the violence. According to a statement issued by the People’s Union for Democratic Rights, the protesters threw stones, broke window panes and hurled abuses at the participants. One of them went to the extent of spitting at Mr. Geelani. As most of the ABVP activists were already in the audience, it was probably a pre-planned attempt at disrupting the meeting. Despite this, however, it concluded successfully albeit behind closed doors.

Describing the attack as “absolutely unnecessary”, J.K. Vidhya, a participant at the conference said, “There was nothing anti-national or inflammatory about what was being discussed. The ABVP had no right to disturb the peace inside the institution. The police too did little to stop them from cutting down the lecture. As a result, participants began to retaliate, although not physically.”

Vidhya spoke of a woman who personified a quote by George Orwell that was displayed at the venue. It said, “In the time of universal defeat, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act”. The woman, according to her, “screamed him down and said to him that he was no better than the Nazis and that he should go back to Germany. He looked a little shocked but his response could barely be heard over the angry woman’s voice.”

According to Shikha, a member of the University Community, the attack was not an isolated event. She said, “It is not today’s issue, it has happened before as well. In February it was the History department, and now it is this. All that we’re asking for is a democratic space. Vandalism is not a solution. There can be different perspectives on issues, and if 300 people were interested in listening to them, who are they to destroy their freedom of expression?”

Protesting this assault on democratic rights by the ABVP, a well-attended march was held the next day. Demands were made for the filing of FIRs against members of the ABVP that were involved in the attack as well as time-bound enquiry into it. Further, participants at the march called for an assurance that future public meetings on similar issues will not be disrupted.

“The surcharged emotions of patriotic students can’t be simply ignored,” BJP party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters on Friday reacting to the incident. Nupur Sharma was reported saying that Geelani, exonerated by the Supreme Court in the 2003 Parliament attack case, should not have been invited for the seminar. “Geelani is a terrorist and I had politely requested him to leave the venue,” Sharma said. “But he refused.” She also said yesterday’s protest was fuelled partly because most of those fighting her and other ABVP activists were not from DU. “There were a large number of students opposing us who did not belong to Delhi University,” she said. “They attacked us first.She said that she has shot off a complaint letter to Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental regarding this.