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In another case of assault by ABVP members, Kawalpreet Kaur, the president of Delhi University All India Students Association (AISA) has alleged harassment by ABVP members as she visited Satyawati College. She alleges that the ABVP members harassed her, tried to physically restrain her and verbally abused her.
She has lodged a FIR against members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of RSS. The FIR has been registered under Section 154 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) along with Sections 354, 354(A), 509, 341 within the IPC 1860 Act against the ABVP activists. The police complaint has been filed against Vikram Singh Tomar, ABVP convenor of Satyawati College, Dharamprakash, Adw-ait Sharma, Mantu Sharma and few unknown activists.
[quote]I had gone to Satyawati College in order to meet a professor there for my own academic work as well as to meet some of my friends and AISA activists. As soon I entered the college ABVP members gathered around me and started harassing me[/quote]
-Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA President, Delhi University
She alleged that the ABVP activists tried to bully her by saying ‘tum kya kar rahi ho’, ‘show us your ID card’, ‘we shall not tolerate any anti-national activities here’, ‘Satyawati ko Ramjas nahi ban ne denge’. She resisted by saying that it was her right to visit any college. After this, the ABVP members started shooting her videos on their phones. As she resisted their action, she was abused by Dharam Prakash, whom she alleges as an outsider. “They questioned my nationality, called me a slut”, says Kawalpreet. Meanwhile, one of the students who asked ABVP members to steer clear of her way was also roughed up by them.
Later hearing the commotion, the Principal of the college reached the scene and dispersed the crowd. “He supported me and helped me file a complaint against them”, says Kawalpreet. She expects the police to take strict action against those who advocate for goonda-gardi in the campus.
Image Credits: News Nation
Oorja Tapan
A “Poetry Procession” was organized by All India Student’s Association(AISA) at the University Of Delhi on 4th August (Friday). Students and AISA activists took out a poetry march with the theme “Harmony shall win.’ The march visited Ramjas College, Hindu College & Kirori Mal College protesting against the allegedly growing number of violent incidents on campus, reported Hindustan Times.
The students’ march from the front gate of Arts Faculty was followed by a large number of alert policemen, many of them in riot gear. Raising banners and singing songs, the marchers reached Ramjas College and took their procession inside the College campus.
When the participants entered Ramjas College, they were met by protests by members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who shouted slogans like “anti-national AISA get out of campus.” Slogans of “AISA campus chodo” and “Deshdrohi naare lagane walon, wapas jao” were also heard. Police officers accompanying the procession prevented any untoward incident.
While speaking to Hindustan Times Saket Bahuguna, the National media convener of ABVP denied the presence of any ABVP activists there and said that the resisting students were probably Ramjas Students. But one of the ABVP members Sudhir Dedha while speaking to Times of India accepted the fact that it was ABVP members who protested against the march. He said, “We will not tolerate their presence and will keep protesting against them.’
At Hindu College, the students were not allowed to enter the premises hence they registered their protest by singing songs and reading poetry outside the college gates. Hindu College principal Anju Shrivastava, however, said she had been busy at the time and was not even aware of the protest at the college gates or that they were denied entry.
Meanwhile speaking to Hindustan Times about the reason behind the protests, Kawalpreet Kaur said “We wanted to break the silence, that is borne out of fear amongst many in Delhi University Campus. In the light of what has happened in Ramjas, SRCC, and other DU colleges, we wanted to convey a message that violence on campus cannot be normalized.”
Image Credits: Hindustan Times
Sandeep Samal
After nearly five months of the incident of obstruction of a seminar and the subsequent violence at Ramjas College that followed, the issue has taken a new turn. In a recent Action Taken Report(ATR) filed by the Delhi Police in the court, it was initially reported by some news papers that professors who led the protest against ABVP allegedly raised anti-national slogans. The Delhi Police report, submitted by the joint commissioner, in regard to the earlier court report, stated that some of the administrative staff and professors were also a part of the protest. The videos were later found to be fake by Delhi Police.
The professors were accused of shouting anti nationalist slogans, “Hum Kya Mange Azadi”, “Kashmir Mange Azadi”. Delhi Police had initially named five faculty members for leading the protest march in which the slogans were raised. They were Dr Devraj Mookherjee, Mukul Manglik, Vinita Chandra, NA Jacob, and Benu Lal. Speaking to DU Beat Dr Mookherjee said he wasn’t even part of the protest. “The police put it wrong, I was not there and everyone knows that. The entire college knows that. I did not happen to be a part of that march. So, I am not a witness to the particular slogan hearing incident”, he said denying the charges.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity a student of the college who doesn’t have any political affiliations said that the protestors were chanting “Meethi Meethi Azadi”, “ Pyaari Pyaari Azadi” which got misinterpreted to anti nationalist slogans and was misused in the doctored video. “The accusations are entirely baseless,” said the student.
After the video was found to be doctored, Police Officials said that they would send other videos for forensic examination as well. Speaking to the Hindu, deputy commissioner of Police, Madhur Verma, said that the clip was an amalgamation of the Ramjas Protest, speeches by JNU student Umar Khalid and other incidents and the Police department has asked media sources for a raw and authentic footage of the protests.
Image Credits: Hindustan Times
Rashim Bagga
Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister for the Delhi government decided to cut government funding to 28 Delhi University colleges on Monday. Twelve of the aforementioned colleges are completely dependent on funds from the Delhi government. The decision was taken after the colleges failed to create a governing body which would regulate them and look into their finances. To protest against this, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad gathered near the Faculty of Arts today. ABVP students burnt a dummy representing Sisodia in order to express their outrage at his decision.
While Sisodia insists that he took this decision because of the delay in the creation of a governing body, ABVP claims that it is a threat to the reputation of the University and the well-being of its students. While speaking to DU Beat, DUSU President Amit Tanwar described this decision as a gamble with the future of students. He insists that ABVP would not back down from its demand that this decision be reversed. He also revealed that the organisation is willing to go to the residences of the Chief and Deputy Chief Ministers themselves if that means getting the students and colleges justice.
A considerable number of police officers were present at the location in order to maintain law and order and prevent the possibility of a violent outbreak. The National Democratic Teacher’s Federation (NDTF) also protested against the same decision at the Faculty of Arts. Slogans like “Manish Sisodia down down” could be seen on the placards being waived around. While opposition against this decision is strong, Sisodia insists that it was taken to prevent corruption and has even ordered a Comptroller and Auditor General audit into the 28 colleges for the same.
What remains to be seen is whether the Delhi government will soften its stance, and if it doesn’t, for how long will ABVP and NDFT protest against the issue? What happens to the 28 colleges and its students and how long will they be able to sustain themselves with the funds that they have?
Feature Image Credits: Kinjal Pandey for DU Beat
Kinjal Pandey
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A teacher at Delhi University’s prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) was assaulted by a student. The incident occurred on 14th July, Friday when Pardeep Phogat, a final year student of Global Business Operations (two-year diploma course), slapped and kicked his teacher Ashwani Kumar in the college’s parking lot.
Reason for the row.
The student affirms that he lost his cool because he thought that the professor was trying to fail him deliberately. “Ashwani Sir has had a problem with me since last year when I participated in the college elections. He holds a grudge against me since I’m from Law Faculty and from ABVP. He doesn’t want students to be politically active. He gave me zero in my internals, and also asked all other teachers do the same.” said Phogat. He further added, “My attendance was normal, but he stopped my admit card this year. I was simply speaking to Ashwani Sir on Friday, pleading with him to not ruin my future. But he said ‘I won’t let you pass’. After that, I pushed him, slapped him thrice and kicked him in his abdomen. He left me with no other option.” These statements are clearly the admission of Pradeep Phogat’s guilt.
The teachers maintain that the accused had failed in his exams for which he was given zero marks. According to the college authorities, the student had been prodding the teacher to pass him in the internals. “Last semester, he had failed in all his exams, and this semester he didn’t even sit for the examinations. What can a teacher do? He probably thought he could threaten teachers and have his way, but things don’t work that way. He had earlier also called and threatened Ashwani Kumar on the phone regarding the same,” college Principal R. P. Rustagi Rustogi asserts.
Teachers take action, file FIR.
After the incident, some of the teachers including the college Principal went to the Maurice Nagar police station and submitted a complaint. Subsequently, a FIR was filed under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341(wrongful restraint) and 506 (criminal intimidation) on Friday. However, Phagot was released on bail on the same day.
ABVP in damage control mode.
Phogat was the Union Sports Secretary of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) in 2015 and claims to be a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Though, in wake of the recent incident ABVP has denied any association with him. “The student was never a part of ABVP. He might have worked with DUSU in the past but hasn’t represented ABVP. He is not even a member of the organisation,” says Bharat Khatana, General Secretary, Delhi ABVP. However, old pictures of the accused with ABVP members have surfaced.
Not the first time for ABVP
This is not the first time the ABVP has engaged in a blatant display of muscle power and assaulted professors. Last year in June, Dr Vineet Mehta, physical education professor of SRCC was thrashed by DUSU president Satender Awana. Following which roughly 70 teachers marched to the Maurice Nagar police station and registered the FIR.
Before that, on 15th December 2016 The Dean of Law Faculty, Professor Ved Kumari gave a statement against ABVP for abusing, threatening and vandalising her office property when she denied admit cards to the students who had failed to meet the attendance criteria.
It’s about time.
When some student (or union representative) assaults professors openly, then not only is it’s too obvious to comment on impunity and entitlement that backs these hooligans, but also raises important questions on law and order situation pertaining in the campus. It’s about time that university administration and police start taking action for the sake of campus community’s safety.
DU Beat hopes that these cases move beyond FIRs and the guilty is dealt with sternly.
Feature Image: DU Beat.
Picture Credits- Facebook/ Pradeep Phogat
With inputs from Press Trust of India
Niharika Dabral
On the last Wednesday of June, tensions rose and confusion ensued as the police was called in to Daulat Ram College to assuage the worried applicants. June 28th marked the last day for applicants to enrol in college under the first cut-off list, and some candidates were denied admission to the college due to a lack of availability of seats.
Admission denied
According to some student testimonials, applicants wishing to pursue B.A. Programme were prohibited from entering the college as the authorities claimed that the seats were full. These candidates had cleared the cut-off and fulfilled all eligibility requirements, and as per the varsity’s rule, were entitled to secure a seat in the college.
While the University has a prescribed number of seats for admission into various courses, there is no bar on the number of students who actually register and confirm admission under a certain list. Moreover, as the undergraduate portal was riddled with technical glitches, several students were unable to obtain the acknowledgment slip of a college on the first day. Students also often wait till the last day of a cut-off list to weigh in the college options available to them, and to clarify the Best of Four requirements. The time frame allocated to a cut-off list allows every student who meets the criteria to secure a seat in a given college, without any counter policy.
Intervention by ABVP and DUSU
The situation scaled when volunteers of the RSS-affiliated student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), intervened on behalf of the aggrieved students. The Delhi University Students’ Union’s President Amit Tanwar expressed his dismay at the erroneous decision on the college’s part. He said, “According to the University rules, all students who clear the cut-offs are to be admitted. There is no first come, first serve policy. Several applicants had come to seek admission today [on Wednesday] as it was the last day to do so under the first cut-off list. They were, however, told that the seats were full. This caused panic.” As the agitation transferred from the applicants to the student leaders, the police were asked to step in.
The college has lodged a complaint at the Maurice Nagar police station against the ABVP, DUSU, and parents who allegedly manhandled the Principal, along with vandalising her office. The Principal, Ms Savita Roy, claimed that the ABVP and DUSU members entered her office without permission and misbehaved with her. The complaint filed proclaimed that, “They used abusive language, manhandled me, and threatened me with dire consequences if I did not admit the students.” She also added that the crowd refused to send a representation of two people despite her request. An FIR has been filed against six persons who were involved in the scene, and the Principal has requested police protection to continue with the admission process.
However, these allegations have been refuted by the ABVP as an “excuse” by the administration, and are being labelled as an “arbitrary denial.” Tanwar adds, “The parents of students, who were confused after being denied admission even after the verification of documents, approached the ABVP and DUSU members. All of them went to the administration to ask why were they denied admission.” A student from DRC spoke to DU Beat and confirmed the refusal of admission, and also added that the teacher coordinators for the admission process refused to allow a student to opt for B.A. Programme on account of the lack of seats, and continued to “misguide” her by advising her to enrol in other courses. She said that the ABVP proceeded to help the student who had to bear the brunt of the commotion. However, she claimed that members of the ABVP and DUSU barged in the college and misbehaved with the officials.
Authorities’ stance
A senior member of the administration said that the college complied with the admission process of all candidates who met the cut-off requirements after the ABVP volunteers barged in. However, the number of seats would act as a hindrance for them to undertake the subject-combination of their choice.
According to sources, a committee was set up to look into this issue.
Daulat Ram has set the cut-off for B.A. Programme at 91% this year, a lower number as compared to other North Campus colleges. An all girls’ college, it offers 169 seats for the course. The next cut-off list is scheduled to be announced by the midnight of June 30th.
Feature Image Credits: DU Beat
Saumya Kalia
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Every Academic Year, the University of Delhi witnesses a multitude of events, including those that add glory to its name through the students’ or educators’ outstanding achievements, and those, that probably lead us to question the existing status. Having their own significance, here are the Proud and Dark moments of Delhi University, which added stars to the University’s glory, and brought our focus to the issues that urgently need to be addressed.
Proud Moments of Delhi University 2016-2017
Ankit Kawatra, an alumnus of DU’s Keshav Mahavidyalaya College, also the founder of the NGO, Feeding India was selected by the United Nations (UN) as one of the “UN Young Leaders” at the Social Good Summit. Ankit quit his corporate job at the age of 22 to lay the foundation of his NGO, which has now expanded to feed over 1 million people across the country.
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Ankit Kawatra making DU proud internationally
Delhi University’s Himadrish Suwan, was honored by Shri Narendra Modi on the succesful completion of two years of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. Suwan is the convener of Mission-E-Safai, an initiative by students for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan through which he connected universities & their student’s group under one umbrella to function as clusters to spread awareness about cleanliness.
Read the whole article here
Akhil Sheoran, a graduate of Delhi University brought laurels for the nation at the sixth International University Sports Federation’s (FISU) World University Shooting Championships, held at Bydgoszcz, Poland. A part of the 34 member contingent from India, Sheoran bagged two medals in Men’s Air Rifle Events and made the country proud.
Read the whole article here
Akhil Sheoran with his accolades
An enterprising group of Delhi University students made headlines by creating a new world record of making the Largest plastic cup pyramid by using 5 7,000 plastic cups at Thyagraj Sports complex on September 21st, 2016 . The contingent of 22 students led by Kushagra Tayal, an Economics Hons student of Hansraj College, took 3 days to accomplish the feat. The group broke the existing world record from Mexico, where 42,935 plastic cups were used for creating the pyramid.
Read the whole article here
The largest plastic cups pyramid made by DU students
Apart from representing India in Olympics, a student of Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, also represented India at the Rio Paraolympics 2017. Sharad also broke a 12 year old record in the men’s high jump category and joined the league of Apurvi Chandela, Lalit Mathur in representing the country at the international level.
Read the whole article here
Sharad at the Paralympics
Dark Moments of Delhi University 2016-2017
A student of Miranda House faced sexual harassment during KK’s concert at SRCC’s Crossroads. Identifying herself as Meghna, the victim described the event of a man masturbating on her while she was attending the concert, through a Facebook post. She, however, had to face mockery at a public platform due to the audience’s dismissal of the post as an attempt to seek attention.
Read the whole article here
Tension arose in the north campus due to violent protests between members of Ramjas College’s
English Literary Society and ABVP activists on February 22. The tension arose due to the violent intervention of ABVP activists in a conference organised by the college’s LitSoc where JNU’s Umar Khalid was invited to present a paper. A large number of protestors were assaulted and detained during the tussle.
Read the whole article here
Tension and protests at North Campus
A student of Daulat Ram College was sexually assaulted by a male employee of the Indian Overseas Bank branch inside the college on January 18, 2017. The victim lodged a complaint against the accused at Maurice Nagar Police Station where the latter confessed to molesting the student.
Read the whole article here
Picture Credits: DU Beat Archives
Priyal Mahtta
The year 2016-17 has been a year of constant campus activity and mobility. Many protest, dharnas, drives and other such events have taken place rampantly across the campus with the students and teachers unifying to protect their cause. From student politics to intra college protests against unfair means, DU has seen yet another year of mobility and expression on campus. Here we take a look at some of the protests, dharnas and drives which shook campus:
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Battle of ideologies: ABVP vs. AISA
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Scuffle between ABVP and Ramjas college students
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Protest over the ‘dangers of autonomy’
Picture Credits: DU Beat Archives
Anahita Sahu
The north campus of the University of Delhi was tense on February 22 with violence breaking out inside the Ramjas College campus, outside the college, and later in the evening in front of the Maurice Nagar police station. After the violent intervention by the ABVP of an academic conference in Ramjas College on February 21, a common students and teachers protest was set to take place the next day, on February 22, against the intervention. ABVP’s reason for obstructing the conference was the presence of Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid, JNU students, who were amongst the speakers at the conference. Umar Khalid was arrested on sedition charges in 2016, however no charge sheet has been filed in the case yet.
February 22, 2017:
The common students teachers march was scheduled to start at 1 p.m. but was blocked by he ABVP. Before the march, as an extra security measure, guards at Ramjas College checked ID cards to ensure that only students of the college were allowed to enter. What was supposed to be a peaceful march around the campus was cut off by the ABVP as they began shouting slogans like “Bharat Maata ki jai” and ” Vande Mataram” in the sutta lane within the Ramjas College campus. In response, the student and teacher protestors sat down and began their own chants of “Hum honge kaamyaab ek din” on a lawn adjacent to the ABVP gathering. Within a few minutes of this standoff, members of ABVP were seen entering into the lawn space where the students were gathered. There are eyewitness accounts and videos floating on social media of the ABVP activists beating, shoving, and grabbing the students gathered. The police intervened immediately and the students shifted towards the canteen premises.
A large gathering of students sat down in front of the canteen and under the conference hall. Reports came in of a large number of protesters consisting of students, teachers and activists gathered outside the college gates. Students and teachers who were inside the college sat down in silent protest. The police tried to form a barrier between the two groups. The ABVP activists repeatedly tried to break the barrier and attack the students. Fearing escalating violence, the police escorted the students out through the back gate where they were transported to the metro station in Civil Lines.
Meanwhile, outside the college, students and teachers who had congregated for the protest march, and journalists covering the issue, encountered ABVP activists. There are videos and evidence of students and faculty members being injured during this encounter. Around this time, roads leading to the Maurice Nagar police station were blocked by the police and shopkeepers around Patel Chest area were asked to bring down their shutters. The protest reached the Maurice Nagar police station area after 3 p.m., where police had been deployed to keep the violence from escalating and forming a barrier between the two sides. The protesters placed themselves outside the police station, demanding that an FIR be lodged against the violence committed by the ABVP. Slogans like “Aar ho ya paar ho, aaj FIR ho” were heard from the protesters’ sides.
At around 6.30 p.m., just after protesters were speaking to the police about their demands, a commotion broke out as the police surrounding the protesters started absconding them, in some cases with unnecessary force. The protesters were rounded up in police buses and taken to different corners of the city in an attempt to break up the protest on campus. They were dropped off later in the evening. There were reports and rumours of a potential ‘witch-hunt’ by ABVP members around the campus in search of people at the protests. No such incidents were confirmed.
February 23, 2017:
Another peaceful protest was organised today by the students and teachers at the Delhi Police Headquarters in ITO with heavy police presence around the area. Hundreds of students attended the protest, where sloganeering was heard and protest signs could be seen condemning the police brutality against student protesters yesterday. An exit gate at the ITO metro station was closed around noon. The protesters pushed for an FIR to be lodged and for a meeting with the police officials. After meeting with the students, who wanted separate FIRs to be lodged against the ABVP members who engaged in violence, the police informed them that separate FIRs cannot be lodged and they would need to be clubbed under one FIR. The student protesters then took the decision to have affected students write down testimonies of violence committed against them, with which they’ll approach other authorities given the contention between their demands and the police’s stance.
The police has admitted to the use of excessive force against students on February 22nd. The case related to the entire incident has been transferred to the Crime Branch. They also invited students to submit their complaints to the police which can then be clubbed together.
The student protesters are reportedly upset about the incident being branded an ABVP-AISA clash and the protesters being clubbed together as AISA members. They have called these protests movements by the students and teachers of Delhi University, and not a political party. The protesters comprised of students from across Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and other institutions across Delhi, with supporters of various movements and parties, and many with no political affiliations.
There were other protests in North Campus as well, with NSUI carrying out their peace march from the Arts Faculty to the Maurice Nagar police station, and the ABVP continuing their stance of protesting against ‘anti-national’ activities and elements. There were reports of considerable police presence around the campus.