LSR Principal, Kanika K. Ahuja faces extreme backlash from the students after her statement on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam gets featured on BJP’s Official Instagram Handle. 

On the 13th of April, the Bharatiya Janata Party posted on their official Instagram Page a series of reactions praising the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, that is, the Women’s Reservation Bill. Amongst those featured was the Principal of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Dr. Kanika K. Ahuja. 

In the video she addresses the Women’s Reservation Bill calling it “a constitutional course correction.” She goes on to say that the bill “reflects the shift from women’s development to women’s led development” and remains hopeful for the prospects it shall bring to the “women leaders” graduating from LSR. What appears as an ordinary video however, received raging reactions from the student community of LSR, including current students and alumni who expressed grave concerns over the college’s state of affairs. 

The comment section of her video—what appears at first glance to have been recorded not at an official event, but exclusively for posting on BJP’s Page—has been exploding with comments from students across colleges, especially LSR bashing the Principal for her statement. One comment reads,

Women empowerment—yes sure. When we were not given a chance to raise our voices. When we were not allowed to make societies. When we were not allowed to invite some ‘specific speakers’ because we are APOLITICAL?” 

Another comment reads, “Political neutrality in the rulebook of the Union and political endorsements in the feed. Interesting.” 

The most common point of criticism that is presented by the students through their sarcastic remarks in the comments section remains against the ‘apolitical stance’ of Lady Shri Ram College, one that has repeatedly been reasserted, especially by the current Principal as reported by multiple students. Recently, an exhibition held by a society of LSR during the annual fest, Tarang 2026, was shut down after being taken out of context, due to its criticism of power hierarchy and certain political figures. Reportedly the Principal responded to the closure saying, “You need to understand that we as a government college can not side with or make any political statements.”  

Similar incidents have sparked over the past year when certain performing societies were made to change their performance scripts to avoid “controversy” and maintain an apolitical stance, along with the Diwali festival of LSR’s NSS, titled ‘Noor’ for as long as students can remember, being changed to ‘Varshik Samaroh Diwas’. 

The Deepak Vohra controversy last year, LSR’s non-affiliation with DUSU, and the college’s refusal to let Nivedita Menon, an ex-faculty member and an alumni of LSR, enter campus due to invitation by the non-affiliated LSR SFI  was further pointed out by students who remain outraged by the Principal’s recording a video for BJP’s page. One comment writes,

Same college that did not allow Nivedita Menon’s session to happen btw on the pretext that it was organised by a non-affiliated organisation. Is LSR affiliated with the beejaypee now?”

A graduate from LSR, assumingly familiar Dr. Kanika K. Ahuja as a professor, before she became the Principal writes, “From preaching in psych classes about non-partisanship, emancipation, and what not to this.” An anonymously-led Instagram Page of LSR called for a protest in lieu of the same on the 15th of April. 

However, while a majority of students continue to express their concerns and outrage over the impact of this video across Instagram, X, and Whatsapp, some students share their solidarity with their Principal. One comment writes, “Funny how every second comment here is trying to define ‘apolitical’. Reality? No one cares. The institution stands strong anyway. And we welcome the bill and ma’am’s stand.”

A similar sentiment was expressed by a fellow student on her Instagram story,

She’s speaking in women’s favour still getting hate cuz political parties matters more than women empowerment. Even I’m not a particular pol party supporter anymore but we should actually praise her for raising her voice on women’s empowerment rather than hating on her.”

What remains the larger question behind this outrage versus sympathy is the truth of being an apolitical college, especially an apolitical ‘women’s’ college in the 21st Century, within the space of Delhi University, and at large India. What consequences does this tag of ‘apolitical’ bear, not just upon the students, but the faculty and the administration, and what is the way forward to prevent as an alumni writes, “an institution undoing its own historical legacy”? 

Read also: Unrest at the LSR Campus Following Retired Diplomat Vohra’s Speech

Image Credits: Vanya for DU Beat

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