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DU Pledges Its Staffers’ One-Day Salary Towards Coronavirus Relief Fund

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The University of Delhi (DU) has pledged its staffers’ one day salary to the PM relief fund in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.  

The University of Delhi (DU) has decided to pledge its staffers’ one-day worth salary to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) that has been set up in the wake of the Coronavirus spread, in an attempt to fight to the pandemic.

The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) in India is a public raised fund that does not get any budgetary compensation from the government. It was set up to provide relief and support for people in cases of natural and man-made disasters.

The PMNRF along with Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-Cares)- set up specifically during the ongoing coronavirus spread- are the two citizen-funded initiatives that have been providing relief to the economically weaker sections during the pandemic. On Monday, 30th April 2020, the University released a statement where this donation was proposed.

Along with this initiative, the University has apparently formed a task force in an attempt to take stock of the ongoing crisis that has arisen due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. This task force would be coming up with recommendations regarding academic and administrative responsibilities of the university in these trying times. The University has also stated that excessive amounts of financial resources are going to be needed by the centre to deal with the upcoming circumstances and provide relief to help its more vulnerable citizens in this crisis.

“The University has proposed to contribute one day’s salary of teaching and non-teaching staff to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF),” it said in a statement. The statement also revealed that a mobile application is currently in development so that employees who wish to contribute more to the PMNRF to help the situation can do so.

In the aforementioned context, the statement further read that the university is also making use of the two recently integrated apps- Google Classes and Google Hangouts- which can be used by the faculty and students to continue with the academic schedule online.

The University has also stated that it has made arrangements to provide all basic amenities to students staying in hostels, and that the mess facility is operational in all of the hostels maintained by the University. Four medical centres- The World University Services (WUS) Health Centre at North Campus, The WUS Health Centre at South Campus, East Delhi (Dr BR Ambedkar College) and West Delhi (Shivaji College)- have also been made available that have medical professionals, paramedics and ambulance around the clock.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

 Shreya Juyal

[email protected]

 

 

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Campus Central

North-Eastern DU Student Spat On, Called Coronavirus

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On 22nd March, an MPhil student from Manipur, studying in Delhi University, was spat on near North Campus, and was called Caronavirus. Following her, other students from North-East India shared their racial harassment stories.

In a shocking incident, on 22nd March, a 25-year-old woman from Manipur was spat on by a man and called ‘Coronavirus’ in North Campus, around 9 p.m., as she was walking back after getting some groceries.

This incident was then reported to the police and a First Information Report (FIR) was filed in this regard at Mukherjee Nagar Police Station. Speaking to Mojo, the victim said “The man approached me on a white scooty as I was walking, and I could feel that something was about to happen. He then proceeded to stop and spit on me and the paan from his mouth entered my eye and came on my face. For a moment, I was stunned, but as he sped away, I tried running after him but couldn’t catch him as my eyes were burning. My first concern was getting infected, with someone spitting at me at the time when Coronavirus is spreading. I immediately rushed back home, changed my clothes and bathed before lodging a complaint with the Delhi Police. I’m still trying to process what happened, it has been a really traumatising experience for me.”

After the story of the victim was shared on social media, two more victims, who faced the same incident in January came forward with their story.

The victims spoke to DU Beat about the incidents that took place with them. In conditions of anonymity, they said, “It was on the night of 22nd January 2020 at around 7:30 to 8 pm and I was coming back from my friend’s place. It was quite dark at that time and I was all alone. And then suddenly a middle-aged man came on his scooty and spat on me. At first, I thought something had fallen down from the tree but then the smell suddenly hit me and by the time I looked back to see him or his vehicle number, he had already vanished. The feeling was so disgusting and horrible. When I heard about this incident that happened last night I shared the same in a Whatsapp group wherein I came to know that the same thing happened with another girl on the same place later that night.”

The other victim said also described the incident that took place with her. She told DU Beat that, “As I was walking back to my PG,  I was walking past the park located near my PG. The streets were empty then and dimly lit. All of a sudden, I saw a man in a scooty driving towards me. I thought he was going to hit me with his scooty and just froze for one sec. Next thing I know, he spat paan all over my face, neck, hair and clothes. I was shellshocked and didn’t move for 10 seconds. When I came back to my senses, I shouted but he had already driven off. Traumatised, I ran into my PG and cried to my friends. They thought that I had fallen in some mud or something since the colour was brownish-red. The smell was utterly strong and disgusting. They cleaned me up and I bathed four times. They informed my PG owner. He came and we all went to the scene where the incident had happened. We planned on reporting it to the police, but the next day, I decided to let it go as I was traumatised by the incident and no longer wanted to ponder upon it.”

“I’m coming forward with my story now so that I could help the person who was attacked on 22nd March, since our descriptions of the attacker match. I just hope that Delhi University’s North Campus is a safe place for us North-Easterners to roam even past 8 at night and I hope that the same incident doesn’t happen to anyone else in the future. No human deserves to be treated this way.” she added.

Initially, both people didn’t think this attack was racially motivated, but after noticing the increasing number of incidents that have taken place in the same manner, it can hardly be a coincidence, since all three times the target were people who were from the North-East.

DU Beat also spoke to Mr Varun Pradhan, a member of the Delhi University’s North Eastern Student Society (NESSDU),  “Once I heard of how there were more students were also attacked in a similar manner earlier, I tried contacting the North East Helpline, but couldn’t get through to them.  So I called the Mukherjee Nagar Police Station, but they said that it’s too late for an FIR, however, the victims could still file a written complaint and the police will support them thoroughly in this regard.”

Of late, such racially motivated incidents are on the rise across India. It is indeed a shameful situation and such actions should be condemned by all members of the society.

In connection to this incident, the Delhi Police arrested a 40 year old man on Wednesday, 25th March 2020.

 Feature Image Credits: Anonymous

Khush Vardhan Dembla

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Arts & Culture

Are We Back to the 1920s?

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With the world undergoing drastic socio-political events, how far have we come from the Roaring Twenties? 

“History shall witness the rise of glory,

The roaring twenties have arrived.”

Little did they know, what they had in store;

Death, gloom and misery. 

The advent of the 1920s can be barely called a period of happiness. The deadly aftermath of the First World War to the rise of fascism, paving the way to the heinous murder of humanity; the 20th Century has been historically glorious and well-recorded. However, the 21st century and especially the beginning of the 2020s has been anything, but, glorious.

January 2020 was characterised by an impending World War 3, courtesy USA and Iran. February 2020 was rather gruesome in the National Capital as a pogrom was carried against the very nerve of Indian Muslims. As the doom of humanity befell us due to a man-made epidemic, we did not know what was in store for us. The futility of man comes forth when something as big and threatening as a natural pandemic visits us. Eerily enough, the 1920’s and 2020’s draw several similarities, right from a life-threatening virus to political turmoil:

 

  • The Pandemic

 

The 1918 Spanish flu which lasted for over two years infecting over 500 million people is eerily similar to the recent pandemic of COVID-19. Both originating from China, the Spanish Flu and Coronavirus caused/ing large scale hysteria and havoc. The beginning of 2020 surely did not expect the recreation of something so ghastly. Till date over 100,000 cases have been reported of coronavirus and the number is predicted only to accelerate. 

 

  • The Economy 

 

Angel Gurría, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Secretary-General, says, “Even if you don’t get a worldwide recession, you’re going to get either no growth or negative growth in many of the economies of the world, including some of the larger ones, and therefore you’re going to get not only low growth this year, but also it’s going to take longer to pick up in the future.” Similarly, the end of the 1920s was characterised by the infamous Great Depression of 1929. Widespread economic depression gradually enveloped the entire world economically and socially. 

 

  • Rise of Right-Wing Populism 

 

The 1920’s served as a bedrock foundation to the Weimar Republic, paving the way to the rise of Adolf Hitler, ultimately the epicentre of right-wing. The 20th Century was largely dictated and influenced by the aftermath of Holocaust and World War II economically, structurally, socially and politically. The 2020s haven’t been too politically different, either. With a majority of world leaders belonging to the right side of politics such as Bolsonaro in Brazil; Trump in USA; Modi in India; and most of Europe. The comeback and domination of their side of politics are similar to the rise of right-wing populism back in the day. 

 

  • Anticipating World War III

 

Iran and the US have been at a war-like situation by retaliating with constant airstrikes back in January. Recent news suggests Iran has refused help to the US in lieu of the Coronavirus outbreak, both of the Nations reporting accelerating numbers of casualties after Italy. The pandemic is also being considered a distraction from the impending crisis. 20th Century has been largely motivated and dealt with wars, World War I and World War II have shaped the consequences of several nations, acted as a catalyst in projecting newer policies and international treaties. 

 

  • Racism and Casteism

 

The Ku Klux Klan or the American White supremacist hate group systematically targetted African Americans. Racism and subjugation of individuals on the basis of their colour and race was dominant. Caste was a major factor in paving the way towards concrete legislative measures in the newly formed Indian Constitution. However, just as legal changes do not equate to social changes, till date, racism, casteism, rampant classism and xenophobia have still thrived. 

Sharanya Vajjha, a student of history and politics says, “Some problematic notions never cease to exist. Even when concrete developments are made, certain regressive beliefs continue to haunt mankind.”

 

  • Feminism

 

The discourse surrounding women’s rights and feminism gained momentum right about in the 1900s. The first wave of feminism laid down the focus on women’s legal rights and Right to Vote. Gradually, it incorporated the idea of reproductive rights, sexuality, domestic violence, rape and the social domain of feminism. Yet again, it would be wrong to equivalent legal milestones as social milestones. Till date, harassment, rape culture, incessant casual sexism, workplace harassment, unequal pay, abortion rights, intersectionality and marital rape amongst others remain certain issues which are yet to garner social and legal attention and escalate into concepts of the bygone era.

A century later, individuals still scramble for basic human rights, war and hysteria are rampant. The real question here is, are we supposed to go back to the 1920s or travel our way into the future? 

Feature Image Credits: Brand Culture

Anandi Sen 

[email protected] 

 

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Arts & Culture

From Ghalib to Rupi Kaur: Poetry in Modern Times

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Poetry, arguably the most beautiful form of literary expression, has been around for as long as history itself. But, in this age of social media and commercialisation, what has poetry evolved to?

Poetry is a form of literature that strings words together, heavily using literary devices, symbolism, and emotive language. It is an art form as old as language itself: the earliest poetry has been believed to have been sung and recited verbally to remember law, history or genealogy. Gradually, it evolved into a form of emotive self-expression: talking about love, pride, anger, sadness, beauty and everything else you could feel.

French poet Paul Valery once said that while prose is walking, poetry is dancing. The freedom to explore, that the art form gives to its audience, is its most striking feature; possibly the most important reason for the rise in its popularity. From the court poets of the Mughal Era to Slam Poetry meetings of the modern times, Poetry has come a long way.

Poetry has always had the tag of elitism and complexity attached to it. The poetry circles of the medieval ages and the commissions by the royalty to artists and poets have made poetry associated with the nobility.

But, like every other product in a capitalist world, poetry, too, has undergone commercialisation and a change in its consumption.

So, poetry isn’t anything new; accessibility to it is, though. Humans are social animals, and all we ever want is to connect and be understood. In the age of internet and isolation, when there’s a lack of depth in interpersonal relationships, poetry has become a platform people connect to.

Through blogs, online poetry groups, Instagram poets, and slam poetry, poetry has been made accessible to the masses. Poetry, stripped to its core, is just words strung together aesthetically and what makes it attractive is its subjectivity: the understanding of a poem completely depends on the reader. With the internet, a blog post or an Instagram/Twitter update can get you an audience of millions. A very well-known example of the is the famous poet Rupi Kaur. She’s one of the only few poets in recent years to have made it big commercially and has made poetry popular in common perception as well.

“Rupi Kaur seems to be like an oasis the desert of poetry. Honey and Milk have nourished poetry in modern days,” said Priyanshi Banerjee, a first-year student at Lady Sri Ram College.

However, what this age of Instagram poetry and commercialisation has also done is bring about a compromise in its quality. Poetry is produced in easy, consumable bites, and it becomes a tool of gathering ‘likes’ and validation, rather than a true expression of the self. For internet aesthetics, the essence of the art itself might get neglected.

“I have personally never enjoyed Rupi Kaur’s work and never will, there must be people out there who do enjoy that, good for them. I feel that looking at how many much more talented poets died broke and penniless, Rupi Kaur is much more popular and commercially successful because of the internet and because her poetry does not pose any questions, it’s a few short lines on something all of us agree on, there’s no thinking involved when you read her poetry, and that’s why it might appeal to so many people,” says Prabhanu, a first-year student of Kirori Mal College.

“I feel that Rupi Kaur lacks truth, cause few of her verses are from a privileged position. But, on the other hand, it’s her choice to choose her subjects,” adds Chhavi, a first-year student of Sri Venkateswara College.

But I think that’s the beauty in the freedom this art form provides; it is so incredibly forgiving and accepting. No one truly has the power to dictate what poetry is, not when a million others are doing it a million different ways.

Feature Image Credits: Sarthak Singhal for DU Beat

Satviki Sanjay

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Reviews

Anxiety: A Constant Pull From Prosperity

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If you experience being engulfed by anxious thoughts, or questioning the simplest of ideas, this piece is for you. Sitting in a room tired of the repetitive attempts to make your mind a peaceful place, the tornado of negative thoughts encircling the comfort of your brain, the surfeit of stress as the only constant of your life – is what all defines excessive anxiety. A feeling of fear or apprehension before starting something new or significant is common and very natural but, having a brain filled with fright and restlessness for the entire day is what marks a minor form of unhealthy anxiety. We all go through anxiety its very common in the myriad of situations we encounter in a day. But, worrying excessively about every other thing because you think about its negative or unfortunate outcome, every single time points a lack in your mental well being. Overprotectiveness, order freakiness and panic attacks when the things don’t go in a pre planned way marks a person with an anxiety disorder. There are feelings which drag you down and make you unable to take up a new project or start a conversation with a new person. In a such a state where peace of mind becomes a rarity people very often find there solace in drugs, which paves the way for a truck full of other problems. The best solution in this condition is to talk and let your problems out to a mental health expert or practitioner. It is very important to understand that its completely fine and normal to face such a condition and it from nowhere gives you a tag of an insane or manic. Never ever feel hesitant or embarrassed to seek help, rather you should embrace yourself of identifying your problem and making attempts for its rectification in a world which suffers a mental health awareness crisis. Common doings such as tapping ones feet in a stressful situation or chewing nails whenever there is a work related pressure can reflect the beginning of deeper problems later. So, if you see your close ones doing so make sure you ask if there’s anything they want to talk about. Supporting your friends and family and standing by them instead of criticizing the happening is extremely crucial. In fact the person himself or herself should remain extremely positive about everything around as he/ she is a fighter in true means and deserves all the appreciation. Treat every moment as a fresh beginning and always remember what Howett said,” Just when the Caterpillar thought the world was ending, it became a butterfly.” Feature Image credits: Navya Jindal for DU Beat Kriti  Gupta [email protected]]]>

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News

DUSU Establishes DU’s First Foreign Students’ Cell

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The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has established the University’s first official Foreign Cell to address the grievances and issues of international students.

The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has set up a Foreign Students’ Cell which is set to be first student body at the Delhi University to address foreign students’ grievances and sort out their problems.

The DUSU said that the Cell has been established to address the varied issues of the international students through developing mutual comprehension, cultural exchanges as well as moral diplomatic understanding.

The Delhi University Students’ Union convened an inauguration ceremony of the Foreign Cell on 6th March 2020,  in which the honourable guest speakers were Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President ICCR , MP Rajya Sabha, ShriNiwas, The National Joint Organising Secretary of ABVP, Mr. Sediqullah Sahar, Ambassador , Embassy of Afghanistan, as well as Mr. Vishnu Bahadur Gurung, Nepal.  Pradeep Tanwar, Vice President, DUSU,  welcomed all the guests and felicitated them; followed by a vote of thanks by Shivangi Kharwal, Joint Secretary, DUSU.

A total of 230 students from 19 countries registered for the Cell, students from Nepal and Afghanistan being the most in number.

Akshit Dahiya, President, DUSU said, “During my campaign, a few international students asked me why they should vote for me if I don’t do anything for them. I promised them that they will have better representation and a formal one. This foreign students’ cell will provide assistance during admissions, FRRO registration as well as in organising extra-curricular activities. The academic aspect has also been included through introducing an award for felicitating the international student with the highest grade point average. The cell is a step towards enhancement of communication between different cultures and also a great opportunity for the students to learn our culture as we learn theirs,”

 “Till they find a proper office I have asked them to use mine. This will be an independent body but DUSU will always provide the necessary support they would need at any point of time,” he added.

Nouresha, a Journalism student from Kamala Nehru College said, “As a foreign student, this is a good initiative. Because when I came to India, I didn’t even know what the processes were. Thankfully, somehow I got in touch with some of the Mauritian seniors in DU and they were very helpful. But if they weren’t here, I would have been roaming aimlessly, not knowing what to do. For a foreign student everything seems alien. So if the Foreign Cell helps them from day one, it would be awesome.”

Feature Image Source: DUSU 

Paridhi Puri

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News

Despite Mass Detentions, Young India Marches On Against CAA-NPR-NRC

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The Young India Against CAA-NPR-NRC march was held on 3rd March at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. The march had been popularised with the slogan of “Delhi Chalo” and was earlier scheduled for 11 a.m. at Ram Lila Maidan.

Dilli Chalo, a march called by Young India against CAA-NRC-NPR and several other organisations such as All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), and so on was scheduled to take place at 11 AM. The march had been called to start at Ramlila Maidan, from where the procession would march to Jantar Mantar where several youth leaders and activists were going to address the gathering. Before 11 AM itself, the Delhi Police seized all the buses in North Campus, which students from several different colleges had hired to take them to the protest sight and had even detained the drivers, according to some sources, more than 500 people had been detained by 12 AM and buses from other universities and indefinite protests had also been stopped.

Seeing the Delhi Police’s swift response against peaceful protestors, a question is left begging to be answered. How can a police force which can detain 500+ peaceful protestors in less than an hour for no reason take days to control a riot?

Out of those detained, few were taken to Chandni Mahal Thana, while a lot of other people were driven outside Delhi and kept there by the police until 5 PM. One student along with a group of 15 other protestors was taken to Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Bawana and kept locked inside by the Police until 5 PM, they were then taken and dropped off somewhere near the Delhi Border and had to walk kilometers to find an auto.

Despite all this, the march was changed to a protest gathering at Jantar Mantar, where 100 of students and concerned citizens showed up despite the short notice to raise their voice against the state sponsored pogroms in North-East Delhi, the fascist Government, and the unconstitutional islamophobic CAA-NRC-NPR exercise. Some of the speakers today were Aishe Ghosh, President of Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Students’ Union, Chandrashekar Azad, the leader of the Bhim Army, Umar Khalid, social activist, Shadab Najar, student shot at Jamia Millie Islamia Violence and many more.

One of the peculiar things about the Jantar Mantar protest was the security check conducted. Delhi Police checked the bags of all protestors, and when lighters or a pack of cigarettes were found in a female’s bag, they shamed her and said, “Ladkiyan bhi smoke karengi toh desh toh barbad hoga na” (Women who smoke ruin the country). They even made lewd comments about women’s clothing.

On speaking with DU Beat, Umar Khalid elucidates on how this movement against the CAA-NRC-NPR is leaderless and faceless and how that can be seen as a strength. He says “ye movement ka strength hai ki iska koi ek leader nahi hai, ek leader ko jail mai daalke iss movement ko band nahi kiya jaa sakta, ek party ke against action karke iss movement ko band nahi kiya jaa sakta, jaffrabad and northeast delhi mai dange karake desh bhar ke movement ko repress nahi kar sakte (the strength of this movement is because there is no single leader, putting one leader wont stop the movement, taking action against one political party wont stop the movement, instigating riots in north east delhi wont repress the movement.) The Decentralized nature is the strength of this movement.”

When asked further about the need for a face for the movement, he says that will only be necessary when the Centre would be willing to talk to the protestors, which he points out both the Home Ministry and the Central Government have refused to do on several occasions.

Other than this, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhim Army Chief, spoke on the values of Ambedkar and use of CAA-NRC-NPR to suppress the minorities. He even encouraged people to mobilise and added motivation to lead the movement forward, while highlight the reckless use of sedition law by the Government.

One of the most kind-hearted sights, was a Daadi, from the resistance of Shaheen Bagh, who shared her heartwarming anecdotes with the gathering.

Student organisation from all over India came together, and some even performed parodies of popular songs, to criticise the Government and to present their dissent.

The roads of Jantar Mantar were etched with beautiful slogans, and graphics, which bring us to notice that protestors are using words, art, and knowledge to bring change, and that is the most rightful way to express dissent.

Feature Image Credits: Surbhit Rastogi for DU Beat.

Prabhanu Kumar Das

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 Chhavi Bahmba 

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Book Review

Book Review: Nationalism by Rabindranath Tagore

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In times of an ideological crisis, conversations are imperative to prevent the homogenization of ideas by the authority. Rabindranath Tagore felt the emergence of a crisis during the freedom struggle. As a result, he delivered three speeches in different parts of the world, with two of them talking about the oriental ‘nations’ of India and Japan. The third lecture centered around the West and the ideology exhibited by its people. Tagore believes that the idea of nationalism originated as a measure to counter chaos and disorder. The chapter of nationalism in the west draws a subtle line between truth and untruth, and shows how untruth is lionized as a means to economic attainment. Through a resourceful criticism of the West, he gives them hope and assurance of a better future. The author praises the West for being a lover of individual rights and liberty but denounces its acts of suppression in the colonies. In Nationalism in India, Tagore scrutinizes the Indian society and provides numerous warnings to the same. In the beginning, he gives an explanation for the existence of the caste system and implicitly justifies it by terming it as a legitimate response to the diversity present in Indian society. Towards the end, he calls for action against the caste system, thereby retaining the faith imposed on him by his readers. Tagore showers words of praise for Japan, a nation which, according to him, embraced modernity while retaining its own spiritual and humanitarian values. He writes, “In a word, modern Japan has come out of the immemorial East like a lotus blossoming in easy grace, all the while keeping its firm hold upon the profound depth from which it has sprung.” As seen in the other two essays, he warns the Japanese as well, by saying that they might lose their ideals by racing with the west. “If it be a mere reproduction of the West, then the great expectation she has raised will remain unfulfilled.” The Nobel laureate writes the trio of essays by giving it a poetic touch. He’s able to capture the essence of oriental philosophy in a few pages, long before the world came to blows with each other. His essays draw a distinction between the oriental and the western culture, which serves as a beautiful reminder to the millennials, people who look at their hands and see no history. Tagore’s Nationalism ends with a Bengali poem, The Sunset of the Century, which is translated into English. In the last few lines of the poem, he appeals to the conscience of his readers through words weaved in majestic lines. The last stanza of the poem beautifully sums up his belief. Be not ashamed, my brothers, to stand before the proud and the powerful

With your white robe of simpleness.

Let your crown be of humility, your freedom the freedom of the soul.

Build God’s throne daily upon the ample bareness of your poverty

And know that what is huge is not great and pride is not everlasting.

Feature Image Credits: Sify

Kuber Bathla [email protected]]]>

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Campus Central

KYS and SFI Protest in Support of the North-East Cell, SRCC

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After the cancellation of a panel discussion conducted by the North East Cell of SRCC, the Student Union and the North East cell have both come out with their statements, regarding the series of events, while Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) protest in support of the society.

 On 23rd January 2020, the Sri Ram College of Commerce Administration cancelled a panel discussion on “Why the North East is Protesting” conducted by the North East Cell of the college a mere few hours before the event, citing reasons of violence and misinformation.

On 24th January 2020, The North East Cell released their official statement regarding this series of events. They described the panel discussion as a discussion on the “North East Narrative: Historical context of the indigenous struggle, which “intended to highlight the narrative of the North-eastern region in the context of preserving their identity.” They also rejected the idea of the discussion being an Anti-CAA talk, as they “believe that this reduces the magnitude of the movement and its aspects and fails to highlight that it was a discussion on the North-East narrative to these protests.”

They added that the event a strictly non-political, educational event. “We also want to reassert that none of our speakers were affiliated to any political party. The events of the North-east remain largely uncovered by major media houses and do not always form a part of discussions about nationwide protests against the Act. This event could have been a space where the attendees are brought in touch with the ground realities of the region that is so often ignored,” said the statement.

They also expressed their disappointment with the Students’ Union. “If the Students’ Union had concerns regarding our event, it is well within their rights to approach the Cell with their concerns. However, they did not communicate with us regarding the event in any manner… We also want to maintain that different reasons for cancellation has been communicated to different stakeholders so there exists a general atmosphere of confusion regarding the actual reason. We were told that it was due to security concerns and the bias of the panel. The speakers were told that it was a technical issue. In the meeting with members of other societies, it was said that the cancellation is due to the inconsistency in the theme of the event.

“The cancellation of this event raises many concerns; it brings to light the blatant bullying by the Students’ Union… Such conduct is highly unacceptable by a representative body and raises larger questions about the type of behaviour that is being normalised on our campus. It also shows how insecure the college is about students from the North-east expressing themselves politically. Cultural shows and food fests conducted by the North-eastern groups are always welcome but the first time when we tried to talk about the real issues of the North-East, we are blatantly shut down despite being provided prior permission.”

At the same time, on 24th January,  the SRCC Students’ Union also circulated a statement arguing that the university administration – and not the union – had cancelled the event. The statement said that the cancellation was “based on a lot of factors, one of which was the security of the students”. It also said that concern is obvious if an event which is supposed to be for the information of the SRCC students is attended by more outsiders than the college students, as it looks like a “scripted controversy”. The students’ union is of the firm belief that “the prestigious platform of the college would never be allowed to be misused by any politically motivated group of students.

“Any event in our college should be a representation of all the views and especially on such sensitive issues when the students have clearly taken different stands, we would not want students to be divided further for anybody’s political motives,” added the statement.

The students’ union also said that it was concerned because of the personal target on President Gajendra Chaudhary where he was heckled by the organisers and abused with statements such as, “Garib ka bachha president banana hi galti thi. Tu kisani kar apne baap ke saath. Khud English bol nahi sakta aur koi bole toh bardaasht nahi hoti(it was a mistake to make a poor person the president. You should continue farming with your father. You can’t speak english and find it unbearable to see others doing so” ”

The President Gajendra Chaudhary said to DU Beat, “I saw the poster and thought it could be controversial. I then, as a student representative, told my security concerns to the principal. That was the entire issue… the cell might have added things in their statement because of their frustration with us. They manhandled us and used abusive language, but we didn’t give any reply. I only did it because there were possibilities of violence on campus, and the teachers seemed controversial too”

“However, we sat down with the North East Cell and discussed this issue with them and everything is solved now. If events like these are held in the college in the future, they will be held keeping the security issues in mind,” added the President.

Students Federation of India (SFI) and Krantikari Yuva Sanghatan (KYS) came out to protest in front of the college against the cancellation of the event.

“CAA is inherently not only against the very fundamentals of the constitution but also attacks the fraternal bonds between communities. NRC exercise has achieved little of its objectives in Assam. Instead, it created mass panic and turmoil in the state”, said Kokil Das, SFI member & Resident of Assam, during his address at SRCC.

Another SFI Activist from SRCC, Ananthasekhar,  said “The act of SRCC administration is highly condemnable. They are curbing the legitimate voices of dissent against communal, undemocratic and unconstitutional CAA-NRC-NPR.”

However, when the President was asked about these protestors, he said that the North East Cell denied any association with SFI and KYS.

Feature Image Credits: Noihirit Gogoi for DU Beat

Satviki Sanjay 

[email protected]

 

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Arts & Culture

Experiencing Delhi Like a Local

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Visitor’s say it’s polluted, messy and always so crowded but have you ever asked a Delhite? They would probably talk about comfort in the chaos. A million people and unspoken stories, small happenings and heartwarming feelings all reside here.

If you’re planning to take a day off from classes and go around exploring, this might just be the most authentic way to experience Dilli, a local’s tried and tested guide.

1. Start from the campus
Both North and South Campus are home to the top colleges of the city; and of course, the top eateries. The canteens of the colleges are famous for their savories, often popularized by Bollywood films. Have some chai at the hangout spots like Sudama’s Tea Stall set up on the University bylines. You can also head to seminars being held in colleges or participate in the events, specially with fest season around the corner.

Tip: Do not forget to carry your college ID card. The guards won’t listen otherwise, you know.
2. Head to Majnu ka Tilla
Majnu ka Tilla, or Aruna Nagar is a Tibetan settlement in North Delhi, known for its quaint little cafes, bakeries, boutiques and souvenir stores, it is home to multiple monasteries and a huge Tibetan market. To get there, take the yellow line metro and get off at the Vidhan Sabha metro station. A rickshaw ride later, you will find yourself in streets that smell like the coffee your body so desperately needs. The streets have pretty architecture that can add up to your Instagram aesthetics.

Tip: Talk to the locals there and not just for directions. They have great stories to tell.

3. Explore Chandni Chowk
Chaotic and unbelievably busy, Chandi Chowk in Old Delhi is often recognised as Delhi’s retail market. It is hub to a number of food places, jewelry shops and clothing items. You can also find some unique and hand-crafted stationery and accessories. Visit the Jama Masjid, Lal Mandir and Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara and witness the religious harmony co-exist. Grab some lunch in Paranthe wali Gali and put that tick on your checklist.

Tip: Keep notes of Rs10 and 20 handy with you and commute through e-rickshaws. Enjoy the hustle bustle of the street at its fullest.

4. Spend the evening cycling at Lodhi Colony
Started in 2016 and officially inaugurated in 2019, Lodhi Colony is India’s first public art district. The walls and bylines are adorned with beautiful art and graffiti, providing visual delight, and making the ride extremely pleasant. Rent the cycles from Jor Bagh Metro Station Gate No.1 for Rs 60 for an hour. There are theatre nearby so you can also watch a play at Indian Habitat Center or Lok Kalayan Manch.

Tip: Chauhan Ji’s chhole bhature are quite the ‘World’ famous here. Just in case you had some space left in your stomach.

5. End the day at India Gate
This place is always brimming with picnickers and vendors selling ice cream, bhelpuri, fruit chaat, soft drinks, packaged food, colourful toys and so much more. While it does seem to be pretty cliched, a night visit here must be on top of all the to-do-in-Delhi lists. Surrounded by grassy lawns, the 42 metres tall monument is brilliantly lit every evening. At a closer look you’ll find the names of brave martyrs engraved all over its surface.

Tip: Play some Rang De Basanti music, the vibe is always worth it.

Feature Image Credits: D for Delhi

Aishwaryaa Kunwar
[email protected]

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