Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Author

DU Beat

Browsing
Campus Central

Retired DU Teachers Demand Release of Pension

By

Executive Council, and University of Delhi (DU) Court urged the administration for the urgent release of pensions of retired DU teachers.

Members of Delhi University’s Executive Council, and the Delhi University Court, wrote to Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi demanding the urgent release of pensions to retired teachers.  

“We have been approached by many retired teachers whose files for the pension have been stuck in the administrative logjam for many months, despite being cleared for the audit. We have come to know that hundreds of such files are gathering dust in the office”, the petitioners, J.L. Gupta, Rajesh Jha of the council, and Rajpal Singh of the DU Court wrote in the petition.

Emphasizing the case of Novy Kapadia, who reportedly retired from STGB College in 2018 and served as Deputy Proctor at the University for seven years, Academic Council member Saikat Ghosh said that despite being diagnosed with a rare disease early this year, the university had “…not deemed it urgent to disburse a single penny of his hard-earned pension.” Mr. Kapadia’s case was not an isolated one, but in fact illustrative of problems faced by all retired teachers of the University, especially those whose pensions have been held up on “some flimsy pretext or the other”, he added.

The issue is a grave concern as these suffering teachers have dedicated their lives to the University, and is now on the receiving end of a raw treatment from the administration. The petitioners urged the administration to resolve the logjam on an urgent basis, to end the misery of their senior colleagues awaiting their due pension.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Paridhi Puri

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

Retired DU Professor’s Plight of Pension and Poor Health

By

Retired DU Professor, Novy Kapadia, who battles a rare Auto Immune Disorder, is one amongst the hundreds who still haven’t received their pensions from the University, after retirement. 

Novy Kapadia is a retired professor of English who taught in SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi (DU) for more than three decades. He is also a renowned sports commentator and author of a book on Indian Football, Barefoot to Boots. A member of several DU Boards and Committees during his career, he retired from office about two years ago.

Since then, he’s been diagnosed with a rare Auto Immune Disorder that has caused irreversible damage to his nervous system and has crippled him.

The problem? He still hasn’t started receiving his pension.

His critical medical condition owing to Auto Immune Disorder has rendered him partially disabled and confined him to the four walls of his house. He bears the huge cost of treatment alone, without a source of income, solely relying on the help of former colleagues and students.

In conversation with DU Beat, professor Kapadia said, “It has been around two years since I have retired. I served in many committees throughout my 40 year career and was a very active member of the DU teaching fraternity. After I retired, I got diagnosed with this incurable disease. My disease isn’t one that can be cured with a surgery or like a virus which goes away with time. I don’t have any relatives to rely on either, it is only my ex-colleagues and former students who are there. I have a full time attendant, who charges INR 100 an hour. All this while, I haven’t received a single penny of my pension. No money comes in, money is only going out. That is very scary for me.”

However, he is only one, amongst the hundreds who haven’t received their pensions either.

“My file is one amongst the many. This issue has been going on for such a long time and there has not been any conclusive results yet. while my friends and colleagues in these councils and committees have tried to raise the issue, no one from DU has officially said anything regarding the pension,” adds professor Kapadia.

The problem finds its root in a 2014 University Grants Commission (UGC) decision, where the UGC decided to stop the payment of pensions, as the scheme was launched in 1987 without its permission. What followed was a court case that lasted till 2017, where the Delhi High Court finally ordered for pensions to be released for all employees.

Despite the High Court order, as can be seen in Professor Kapadia’s case, there hasn’t been any progress regarding the pensions.

“Delhi University is sitting over a bunch files relating to pensionary benefits of superannuated teachers. Novy Kapadia is one such victims of apathy and indifference of a cruel administration, who has been denied regular pension since he retired almost two years ago. How dare a system treat us like this after superannuation and force us to be left in the lurch?,” says a statement in support of the ex-professor.

Saikat Ghosh, member, Academic Council DU, adds, “In his ailing state, Mr. Kapadia’s troubles have been compounded by the Delhi University’s refusal to fix his pension and help him meet his treatment expenses. Due to no fault on his part, the DU administration has not deemed it urgent to disburse a single penny of his hard-earned pension. Mr. Kapadia’s case is not isolated; in fact it is illustrative of the problems that all retired teachers are facing, especially those whose pensions have been held up by the DU administration on some flimsy pretext or the other, in recent years. Many are ailing and in need of urgent care and assistance. This is a brazen violation of the legally-guaranteed right to pension and full retirement benefits for DU teachers.”

According to Professor Saikat Ghosh, repeated pleas to the current VC, Prof. Yogesh K. Tyagi, have gone unheeded and the union government has also refused to withdraw its ill-advised SLPs against sections of teachers who have been due for pension.

Image Credits: Livemint

Satviki Sanjay 

[email protected]  

 

 

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

People’s Minister: The Dikshit That Defined Delhi

By

The infrastructure and development that smiles across the grand old city of Delhi, has received a new face of direction, but the previous grace has an angle that must not be forgotten.

The Delhi Legislative Assembly Polls of 2020 saw a ‘big broom sweep’ across constituencies with the people’s mandate affirming the development model put forth by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and it’s Supremo, Arvind Kejriwal. but is this the first time in Indian or Delhi politics at all?

The country broke with a ‘new wave’ of politics when incumbent Delhi Chief Minister (CM), Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP were declared as the unanimous voice of Delhi’s electoral population, inclining them for a third consecutive term after a complete term and an incomplete term, previously. Standing against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC), Kejriwal defied anti-incumbency which has been sought to be the irrefutable force in elections.

With faces like Home Minister, Amit Shah, and other national leaders of BJP standing against AAP with the ‘reputation’ they hold, winning the elections should be considered a feather in AAP’s hat; their previous term and campaign was called ‘unique’ by many for the welfare schemes and development it brought in the state, particularly in education and health care sectors. But, as to these changes taking place for the first time, Delhi itself shunned out this claim, Congress Stalwart and former Delhi (CM), Sheila Dikshit served the state for three consecutive full terms, and in many regards changed its course for the better. Akin to Kejriwal, she was elected as Delhi’s Chief Minister at a time when an opposition party was in power at the center and Atal Bihari Vajpayee was as popular a leader as Narendra Modi is.

Rising amongst contestants like Shushma Swaraj, Madan Lal Khurana, and Sahib Singh Verma, Dikshit was elected as Delhi’s CM first in 1998 and again in 2003, and 2008 with full majority, her work towards Delhi’s development is well appreciated by everyone, despite of party affiliations and ideologies.

The champion of Delhi’s development and planning held a positive approach in almost every aspect of governance, from empowering Delhi’s power supply which was in a fix before 1998, to solving the problem of lack of public transport – our beloved Delhi Metro saw its existence during Dikshit’s term and is lauded all over for the revolution it brought in the lives of commuters.

The DTC bus also lends its current stature and fleet numbers to Dikshit and so does the adoption of CNG; her vision for the promotion of alternative gases to combat pollution was done at a time when the notion couldn’t cross the periphery of textbooks. The flyovers and roads that have been built across Delhi-NCR are the testimonies of her path-breaking work and perception.

The beautification and aesthetic addendums in Delhi are also a part of her vision which were laid open to welcome the world during the Commonwealth Games that Delhi hosted in 2010, amidst controversies and charges, the smooth conduct and success of the games is endowed with enormous contributions from the then Delhi CM.

Many new schools were added and Delhi continued to be the educational aspiration for many across the nation. The accommodation of everyone was a plan that she adopted in order to improve the education and infrastructure of our country.

Every year, millions also head the capital in hope of employment that was well taken care of by the adoption of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and setup of specified areas, further, healthcare was an important parameter where she did manage to make some significant changes by extending hospitals and employment of doctors and medical practitioners.

Thriving amidst the misogynistic political ambience Dikshit didn’t falter to lose even at the age of eighty, contesting elections and standing firm to her popular reputation. This inspiring political figure passed away on 20th July 2019 but stands out unforgettable in Indian political history.

Feature Image Credits: Deccan Herald

Faizan Salik

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Auburn Umbrella

Auburn Umbrella: Denim Essentials for College Fests: Comfort, Style and Beyond

By

Denim finds its way practically into every wardrobe and is versatile enough to go with all kinds of clothes, prints and fabrics. Here’s how you can style four very basic denim pieces for the fests.

Skirts:

An oversized sweater paired up with a denim skirt, along with boots, is the go-to look for girls. A solid coloured top tucked in a denim skirt can be paired well, with junk jewelry or simple hoops. Janpath or Sarojini Nagar market, must have them for as low as Rs 200. Experiment with printed and knotted shirts. Wear sneakers and go all comfortable while dancing around in concerts.

Shirts:

Black jeans compliment any gradient of denim shirts. Tuck or no tuck, just add a belt and shoes. The shirt doesn’t necessarily have to be buttoned up. Wear it over a tank top or crop top, and t-shirt for a casual look. Half tucked shirt worn over a crop top and black jeggings are very comfortable. Play with accessories but don’t go too overboard.

Jackets:

Denim jacket is a literal savior for all, and is always in trend. Wear a denim jacket, over a dress, to perfectly execute your answer. Girls can always pair palazzo pants with a tucked top and wear the jacket as a cape. A white t-shirt and jeans worn with a denim jacket, if it gets too monotonous, simply, wear loose t-shirts with distressed jeans. If you’re planning to pair denim with denim, experiment with two different shades, say lighter and a darker wash or colours like black or white.

Jeans:

Kurta and jeans are almost synonymous with University students. Paired with kolhapuri flats and a tote bag, this combination is worn by both, boys and girls on a daily basis. When it comes to fests, bling up these looks by accessorizing. Junk neckpieces, and sunglasses. Drop the jholas and opt for backpacks for fests – much more comfortable and easy to carry. Jeans for guys go best with V neck t-shirts, sweaters, and hooded sweatshirts. Distressed jeans with kurti, paired with jhumkas can transcend a regular day look to a fest outfit.

Priyanshi, a second-year student at Indraprastha College for Women, says, “I usually attend fests after class and a sweatshirt and jeans is what I wear to college but not on a fest. I’d rather put an acid-washed denim jacket as a cape over the same outfit and be ready in no time. Of course, I always have a pair of big hoops and bandana in my bag to accessorise”.

Denim can be styled in multiple ways. It is the versatility and comfort of the material that makes it all the more popular amongst college students.

Feature Image Source: Hitesh Kalra for DU Beat

Aishwaryaa Kunwar

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

Stay Silent: The Circumstantial Spiral of Political Silence

By

All of us, at some point, have had an opinion about a controversial issue but refrained to express that opinion. This may be due to a host of reasons, be it fear of backlash or societal pressure, but is it right to refrain? Read on to find an answer.

Spiral of silence, is a term extensively used to describe many political and social situations. This term defines the circumstances under which a person refrains from expressing their views on a certain topic, due to the fear of social backlash and societal pressure. This backlash leads to either a forced change of views or silence altogether.If we look around, one will find several instances of this practice take place pretty regularly.

Be it the National Register of Citizens (NRC) – Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests, or the Ayodhaya verdict, there was one thing common among all these, a large scale of dissent and assent. Both these factions were pretty rigid in their views and utterly disregarded the other side.

A student of Delhi University (DU), who does not wish to be named, says, “My dramsoc members were adamant to give the society’s official stand on CAA- NRC. When they asked me about my views on the same, I stated that I don’t want to express it, however, I condemn the violence during the protests. This led them to moral school me on the issue, even though they were pretty biased. How is this rational?” On the other hand, Pyare Shyam, a student of Hindu College, says, “Just a week before the elections, my parents wanted me to vote for BJP. But I just won’t. Hence, a series of taunts like “you don’t know anything about politics”, was shot at me.”

The moment we enter DU, one can see the restlessness of many students to find a political identity. In this dilemma, most of us, somehow, find such an identity and defend the same on all grounds, however fallacious we may be. In this process, we also, knowingly and unknowingly, shame others for having a different point of view.

Talking to students, I got to know about the effects of such a backlash. Students pointed out that this exclusion leads to major self-doubt and the adoption of silence as a defence mechanism. Some mentioned that whenever someone doesn’t agree with them, they just tell themselves that, “I know that I am right and that the person isn’t wise enough.” While others were adamant about the fact that, “People have forgotten to find a middle ground and understand that both the view points can be correct in a certain way. Everyone thinks that they are right about everything.”

According to some students, their friends have changed their views to get more social acceptance. “People who don’t even know everything about certain political and social issues, post various IG stories just to get social acceptance. It’s like people have forgotten to differentiate between hate and criticism”, says, Shinata Chauhan, a student of Maharaja Agrasen College.

Due to such extremes, neutrality gets lost and silence prevails. Trisha, a journalism student, says, “I don’t want to express my views anymore, as people won’t change themselves anyway and they are mature enough to understand issues themselves.”

Though the spiral of silence flourishes in the political sphere, it also blooms in common culture. Be it patriarchy, LGBTQ rights, sexism, casteism, etc., a wide generational gap makes the spiral go deeper and deeper.

Umaima, a student from Kamala Nehru College, comments, “I once told my mother that I don’t believe in God and the caste system. She was furious. And she had no facts to counter my arguments; in the end, she just told me that these are beliefs and you have to follow them.”

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” It is important for one to realise as individuals, and as students, that despite many external stimuli and agents affecting our decision-making and thinking-both politically and ideologically, we must invest our time and efforts to make balanced and well-informed opinions. Be it the internet or others’ personal experiences, there is only so much that you can adopt from these sources. Beyond this, the judgement of either remaining silent or vocalising one’s views, rests in the individual’s own hands.

Feature Image Credits: DevianArt

Aniket Singh Chauhan

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

Astroturfing: The Online Practice, Which Isn’t

By

Since the dawn of the 21st century, technology has shaped our lives. Not only has it brought us closer but also has made it nearly impossible to imagine a life without it. But, is being over-dependent on technology misguiding us from the truth?

The Brexit, the 2016 US Presidential elections and your recent Flipkart order have one thing in common. That commonality is the practice of ‘Astroturfing’ or the deceptive practise of presenting an orchestrated marketing or public relations campaign in the guise of unsolicited comments from members of the public. Many corporate companies and political parties use fake comments or reactions to create a positive brand image (shout-out to BJP IT cell).

Be it politics, advertising or corporate campaigning, this practice is so common that we often ignore it altogether. Those earphones that you purchased from Amazon had some amazingly positive views but in reality, weren’t that good after all. Or that YouTube video for a mobile phone which proved that it was the best in its segment but in reality that wasn’t the case. According to Bing Liu, a data mining expert, as many as 1/3rd of all the reviews online are fake.

Even big companies like Oppo, Xiaomi, etc. are accused of practising astroturfing. Countries like Russia and China are the stalwarts of Astroturfing. They use fake comments and posts to support the ruling party’s propaganda, inside and outside their nation. Be it meddling with the US elections or Brexit, astroturfing played a major role.

Digital marketing companies use methods like fake IP addresses and Persona Management Software (PMS) to make fake accounts and use them for this purpose. The other method is using actual people to do so. And in this sphere, I have done this numerous times without even knowing the gravity of the same.

Just after my boards, I joined a digital marketing internship. My senior told me that I’d have to write comments on YouTube videos, post (fake) reviews on Google and stories on Instagram. Mind you that I only had to write ‘positive’ comments and reviews. Mostly the content of the comments was sent by them. The videos on YouTube included music videos of hugely popular pop stars also. Unknowingly I was doing something which is not only unethical but also illegal.

The greater problem is that nearly every student who would have done such an internship can tell you the numerous times he or she may have done an activity like this. The one time that you commented something rational on a Twitter post and then suddenly several users started trolling you without any rational argument, that is the work of such astroturfers. With a few computers and a handful of operatives, whole legions of supporters can be created out of the blue, and that too at a nominal cost. How widespread these practices are is anyone’s guess, but as the size and influence of online debate increases, the demand for such astroturf services will only increase, too.

Even if we leave aside the business part aside, the political sphere of astroturfing is even more disturbing. When suddenly a hashtag gets popular on Twitter out of thin air, regular users also take part in it. New forms of software enable any organisation with the funds and the know-how to conduct astroturfing on a far bigger scale than even the Kremlin could hope for. As reported by the Guardian, some big companies now use sophisticated “persona management software” to create armies of virtual astroturfers, complete with fake IP addresses, non-political interests and online histories. Authentic-looking profiles are generated automatically and developed for months or years before being brought into use for a political or corporate campaign. As the software improves, these astroturf armies will become increasingly difficult to spot, and the future of open debate online could become increasingly perilous.

The IPC articles 499 and 500, The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and IT Act article 66A prohibit this practice. But these laws are so seldom enforced that people have nearly forgotten them.

 

The end goal of astroturfing is always to create a fallacious opinion about a topic among people. So the next time you search for a product or a video, remember to be sane about astroturfing and not follow whatever looks to be popular.

Feature Image Credits: Andrii Yalanskyi

Aniket Singh Chauhan

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

Uncommon Addictions

By

Addictions and obsessions are often associated with drugs and alcohol, however, there are a number of activities or substances in our daily life to which we are deeply addicted, but remain ignorant about.

1. Mobile Phones and Social Media:
In today’s world, a talk about obsession without a mention of the handy telephone is impossible. We, on a daily basis without even our notice spend around 3 to 4 hours in vain, on our mobile phones. Scrolling through social media to have a glimpse of what all is going on in the lives of others, we often end up ignoring what is going on in our own. Mobile gaming is another villain that keeps calling us, to pick up the device. Lost in a world of PubG, Call of Duty and Counter Strike, we fail to realise the shortcomings we are causing to our own world. Using electronic gadgets occasionally as a break from work or for a positive purpose is harmless, but feeling a continous and surfeit urge to scroll or play is what can make a person phonophobic.

2. Chai/Coffee Fuelled Survival:
With the common and trending slang quotes and memes, a dependency on coffee or tea is assumed to be hip and cool. But, trust me, it’s not. A person’s inability to meet the daily grind in the absence of a cup of chai or coffee, or facing difficulty in even getting up from sleep without the daily dose of caffeine is not something healthy. Dependency on anything or anyone never gets counted in the positives. It is only the strength and ability to manage every condition, every circumstance, that makes one rise above mediocrity. So, all those who attach a tag of coffee-holic and tea-lovers to themselves, need to understand that having your cup of coffee or kadakchai thrice a day due to the immense love you have for its flavour is no bad but, having it because without it, your routine will not be able to function, is a serious issue which needs to be worked upon.

3. Fitness Freaks:
Gym and exercising are good only until they benefit the body and enhance your health, but once they starts to have an opposite effect of over-straining and begin giving excessive fatigue to your body, they become a hazard. Especially when despite of physical pain, you find yourself unable to avoid straining physical exercise, you become an addict. People, who even after a serious injury or breakdown, cannot resist going to the gym or resting their daily work-out regime, become at risk to causing extreme trouble to themselves and their bodies. So, all the gym-freaks out there, it is fine to relax for a day. Even John Cena and The Undertaker probably have their cheat days.

4. Porn Addiction:
Sexual needs and a want for their satisfaction is something that every person desires for and therefore taking support of pornographic material available online is not something viscous. But, again facing a depravity of sleep or a sense of discomfort in its absence is harmful. Over doing can have serious health implications for both males and females. Self-control is not something only necessary for the well-being of your body but is also beneficial to your mental health.

5. Shopping: A Guilty Pleasure
An excessive urge to shop is a medically recognized addiction known as, Oniomania. Making yourself fall in debt just to buy shiny branded articles makes you an Omnomaniac. It usually arises with a feeling of depression or a constant thinking of perceiving oneself inferior from others. One can understand its serious implications on their bank balance from our very favourite Rebecca Bloomwood in Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Image Credits: Headspace

Kriti Gupta

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

DU to Award 1 lakh for Writing Papers on Kashmiri Culture

By

In order to embrace the Kashmiri culture, University of Delhi (DU), announces award of 1 lakh to students writing papers on the said topic.

Yogesh Tyagi, The Vice Chancellor of University of Delhi, announced on Tuesday, 18th February,  an award of 1 lakh to any student who researches and publishes a paper on the Kashmiri culture. This followed, the first event organised by the Varsity showcasing Kashmiri folk-music namely “Meeras-e-Kashmir”, under the banner of “Cultural Flavours of India”. Karan Singh, Rajya Sabha Veteran, and Amitabh Mattoo, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Professor, were guests at this event.

The Congress veteran discussed the essence of Kashmiri culture, heritage and the rich pursuit of traditional knowledge by various prominent saints from the valley. “Never give up faith in your culture. We may be surrounded by corruption and violence everywhere, but we have to maintain ourselves. It is only then we will fulfil our potential,” the former MP said.

Singh shared several anecdotes from Kashmir, further adding “It is important for us to emphasise the diversity and inclusiveness of Indian culture and never get into exclusivism mode”. He also talked of the time when Sufis came to Kashmir. “There were places in Srinagar where people would pray namaz on the first floor and do aarti on the ground floor. That was the synoptic philosophy particular to Kashmir, which is now shattered,” he said.

The Vice Chancellor of DU too talked about India being the hub of cultural diversity across the world. He suggested, “being the premier institution of India, the onus is on us in academia to appreciate the importance of geographical location, natural beauty, culture, cuisine, tradition, literature of Kashmir”.

Mattoo, JNU Professor,  talked of ways to strengthen our ideas of coexistence. “The first is the history and idea of Kashmiri Shaivism, the second Sufi tradition and finally Kashmiriyat. The recovery of the tradition of Meeras-e-Kashmir is the recovery of pluralism, co-existence and diversity, which will form the bedrock of the idea of India,” he further added.

Feature Image Credits: Easymetrip

Aditi Gutgutia

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

Relevance of Orwellian Literature in Contemporary Times

By

Political allegories is that art, of which George Orwell is a deemed artist. Here is a vignette of his work in association with the modern day political discourse. 

It’s on rather sad accounts that Orwellian literature has withstood the notion of ‘change is constant’ and still continues to appropriate the political scenarios of today. With his notable works of fiction, and non fiction, Eric Arthur Blair under the pen name of George Orwell, authored classics like Animal Farm, 1984, etc.which still reverberates his relevance in contemporary times.

The narrative of using relatively passive, uneducated, gullible, and vulnerable ‘Comrades’ being furthered as pawns to unify under the garb of love for the nation, is one the basics of Animal Farm used only to supposedly overthrow the common enemy; human kind sans the kind.

This pattern has a complex resemblance with what we see in modern day India. People are duped into buying the agenda of what in true sense the love for nation is, and end up hurting their own kind because the line of demarcation of what constitutes as an enemy or not, either fades or obliterates.

A teenager from Uttar Pradesh fires a shot in Jamia Millia Islamia whilst saying, “Yeh lo azadi! (Here is your freedom!)” clearly under the influence of the so called ‘political leaders’ who spit venom of hate speeches to communalise every issue in the name of some glorified dream of India which they deem to be truer from what a secular India is.

The decisions of the supreme leader are taken as Gospel. Boxer: the horse, who lived by the maxim of ‘I will work harder’ and ‘Napoleon is always right,’ was sold, in exchange of alcohol by the leaders upon being old and injured. This just reinforces the fact that tyrant leaders will make use of people to accord to their own whims and interests, with the defence that their interests somehow coincide with that of the nation.

This notion brings us to take notes from Orwell’s notes on Nationalism. He attempts to create distinction between patriotism and nationalism where the former is a ‘devotion’ to a particular way of life which one considers to be supreme, but doesn’t force on others whilst the latter is what he categorises as ‘defensive’ and inseparable from desire of power. Alike ‘Animalism,’ ‘Nationalism’ too is used as a tool, to synchronise the mass and take them for a fool.

Squealer’s role of a propagandist is headed by media not only in India, but around the globe. Concealing the economic troubles until they became quite prevalent that the Government had to acknowledge it, resembles when food shortage was denied by Napoleon but later accepted. The bells ring quite loud when every fault is associated with Snowball just like it’s done to Pakistan.

In the dystopian world of totalitarianism of 1984 the discouragement escalates from ‘thoughtcrime’ where as much as if you think of going against Big Brother, you’ll be relinquished. A world where rebellious thoughts are illegal, not just inOceania but modern day China where Internet is censored, Islamic monarch Saudi Arabia where journalists like Jamal Kashogi are murdered and North Korea where one party republic rules, to name a few.

Altering of historical records and manipulation of facts and data is as rampant in today’s political scenario as it was done in Orwell’s novella. The discourse is set in such a way that it’s natural propensity and not deliberate strategy to add clauses to alter the seven commencements.
‘Orwellian’ is an adjective describing a situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free and open society. Political doublespeak is criticised throughout his works. Perhaps, the fact that we still have modified and novel versions of Stalin, Josip Tito, Mao Tse-tung, Pol Pot, Augusto Pinochet, and Slobodan breathing, leading and deceiving on similar lines, of “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” its of great misfortune that Orwellian literature still stands relevant!

Feature Image Credits: Historyme

Umaima Khanam

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

Women and Gender Cells Across The University Rise Against Hindu College’s “V-Day Puja”

By

After the controversy following the “V-Day Puja”, Women and Gender cells from across the University have risen to support the struggle of students at Hindu College against the sexist tradition, by observing a protest at the College on 17th February 2020.

 On 17th February 2020, Hindu College observed a demonstration against the College’s annual ‘V-Day Puja’ , annually celebrated on the Valentine’s Day, and the unsuccessful executional ban over this year’s annual puja. Despite previous negotiations amongst the Student body and the Administration, deciding an unanimous ban over the event for this year, it was still observed by the Boys’ Hostel Union on 14th February 2020.

Students claim that ABVP’s  men were allegedly involved amongst the mob that ignored the administration’s denial of permission and continued to observe the tradition.  A demonstration was therefore observed against the incident at 1 pm outside the college. However, ABVP has denied all claims of involvement, and have called the rumours of their involvement as criminal defamation.

Ankitaa Biswas, President, ABVP Hindu College told DU Beat, “ABVP-Hindu College was not involved in any act of hooliganism that happened on 14 February,2020 during the V-tree function within the college premises. Neither ABVP, nor any ABVP activist partook in the impugned act of campus commotion. All allegations pertinent to ABVP’s involvement in a bevy of mischievous acts ranging from provocative poster-making to incendiary sloganeering are unsubstantiated and appear contrived to sully the organization’s good name and reputation. Such unfounded assertions constitute criminal defamation.”

She further added, “According to several eyewitnesses, the sequence of events on that fateful day stands in stark contrast to the ridiculous claims being made by ABVP’s ideological adversaries. Saboteurs belonging to SFI, AISA and Pinjratod trespassed into the Hindu College, misbehaved with the students, and made extensive efforts to vitiate the atmosphere of peace and harmony on the campus.”

The Administration of Hindu College has been in question regarding the ‘V-Day Puja’ for years, with people claiming the tradition to be discriminatory, patriarchal, Brahmanical, and a blatant display of toxic masculinity and sidebars for female dignity. After the condemnation of the tradition gaining momentum, the students were denied permission by the Administration to observe the Puja. Yet the puja was still observed on 14thFebruary, with no retaliation from the administration and allegations of ABVP hooligans’ involvement in the mob that disregarded the official orders.

“The misogynistic acts besides V-Tree and violence on women and protestors on Valentine’s Day inside the College premises. We condemn such misogynistic and violent acts, stand in solidarity with the victims and demand immediate disciplinary actions against the harassers and who violated the decision which was declared the Principal in the Students-Admin meeting. The incident that happened at Gargi College shook us all and compelled us to think are University Spaces really safe for women? Are University Spaces really inclusive? This sorts of mobs that often enter College and University spaces to wreak havoc that we also noticed in JNU. All of us have to fight against the mob constitutionally and peacefully,” All India Queer Association (AIQA) stated.

Various Women and Gender Cells from across the University have risen up to provide support and stand in solidarity with the women students of Hindu College, namely the Women Development Cell of Miranda House, Lady Sri Ram College, Sri Venkateswara College, as well as Gender Forum of Ramjas College, The Gender Studies Cell of St. Stephen’s College, IP Student’s Collective, and the Delhi School of Journalism.

Feature Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

Shreya Juyal

[email protected]

 

 

 

Keep Reading
By