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JNU Student went missing after an alleged tiff with members of ABVP

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Darkness has clouded one of the most prestigious universities in the country as Najeeb Ahmed, a student of the School of Biotechnology of Jawaharlal Nehru University has been missing since 15th October, 2016 with no record of his whereabouts till date.

The incident was preceded by an altercation with members of the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Mahi-Mandavi hostel, where it was alleged that on the night of October 14, Ahmed slapped ABVP activist Vikrant Kumar, who had come to his room to campaign for the hostel polls. Later, when the students complained of violence being inflicted over Ahmed, the matter took an ugly turn. He was thus, found missing the very next morning from 11 a.m.

An FIR was registered for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person at the Vasant Kunj (north) police station by Ahmed’s mother who rushed from her hometown Budaun (UP) to Delhi on October 16 after a receiving a worried call by his son on the night of October 14. According to a report by The Hindu, “The administration met with Najeeb’s family only four days after he went missing despite his mother having spent every hour outside the Administration Block requesting help to find her son.”

The Left-controlled JNU student union alleged the University for doing little to trace Ahmed and punish members of ABVP. In protest, around a hundred students tried to block the Nelson Mandela Marg the following week and later, confined the JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagdeesh Kumar and other senior officials in the administrative building for over 20 hours until he termed the blockade as illegal and warned that the “law will take its course” if they are not allowed to go.

According to a report by NDTV, the Home Minister has directed Delhi Police to form a Special Investigative Team to trace the missing student. Meanwhile, fresh sloganeering has started at the administrative block with an increasing number of students who have gathered at the protest sites and will continue to fight until Ahmed is found, safe and sound.

Shagun Marwah
[email protected]

With Inputs from Hindustan Times

Picture Credits: www.hindustantimes.com

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DUB News

AISA’s public meeting disrupted by ABVP; latter alleges provocation as the cause of the scuffle

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A public meeting organised by the All India Students’ Association (AISA) on the ‘Idea of University’ at the Arts Faculty, North Campus on Thursday was disrupted by the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The event was attended by over 300 students and featured eminent scholars from different fields.

Sources claim that the event’s organisation was allowed on the condition that microphones wouldn’t be used. The police were quick enough to provide adequate security apparatus for the event. An AISA activist, on the condition of anonymity claims that the entire process of getting permission spanned over weeks and was onerous. “In the wake of UDAAN, the theatre festival organised at the Arts Faculty to instill ‘the feeling of nationalism among students’, we approached the authorities for organising an event to sustain the liberal atmosphere of the varsity. They out rightly denied permission”, claims the activist. AISA alleges that the authorities asked them to ‘furnish money’ for booking the venue.

On the day of the event, as preparations were in full swing, university officials, accompanied by security guards began tearing down posters and banners inside the compound, where the left leaning student organisation was about to hold the event. For the first time, AISA was holding an event inside the walls of the faculty, a shift from their usual location of organising protests and holding meetings – the Arts Faculty gate.

An understanding was successfully reached between the organisers and the authorities through the mediation of the Maurice Nagar SHO Arti Sharma, who promised adequate security and assured of keeping ‘incendiary elements at bay’. The authorities were wary of ‘elements that might stir conflict’ and disturb the academic space. Reportedly, an AISA member was cautioned by a police official into hosting Mohit Pandey, president of the JNU Students’ Union, who was one of the speakers. Consequently,the JNUSU President didn’t attend the event.

Amid chances of backlash against the event, the police deployed security personals in considerable numbers. CRP units were also seen outside the faculty gate.

The event finally started just past noon with the AISA presidential candidate 2016 Kawalpreet Kaur addressing the 250 plus strong gathering of students and scholars. As the event progressed, talks by Anup Dhar from Ambedkar University, Soumyabrata Choudhury from Arts and Aesthetics, JNU and Satish Deshpande from the Delhi School of Economics discussed various aspects of university as a concept and its relevance in the modern world. Dhar talked about his recent article for a daily where he’d compared the situation of the student community in the higher education in India to the parrots in Rabindranath Tagore’s The Parrot’s Training. The story revolves around certain parrots kept in a ‘golden cage’ where they are ‘educated’. Their education is deemed successful once they learn to keep mum and be submissive. Soumyabrata Choudhury invoked the principals propounded by Ambedkar – Educate, Agitate and Organise and went on to say that “the idea of university is that you can have ideas. Those who are resistant to ideas make the loudest noise.”

ABVP members were seen standing on the pavement bordering the lawns where the meeting was taking place. Slogans condemning the attempt at ‘radicalising the conducive environment of the university’ through the event were hurled at the gathering. Soon enough, the ABVP mobilised outside the main gate only to return in more numbers and run a parallel protest. Members were seen carrying posters calling on AISA to leave the varsity – Rapist AISA Go Back. What ensued next surprised many. Some ABVP members, much to the amazement of the gathering and the ABVP leadership that was present at the protest, started ‘pelting’ Lux soaps at the gathering. Kawalpreet, in a statement claims that the soaps were thrown at them to ‘cleanse them of all the vice, as if Bharat Mata needs to be kept clean and tidy’. When some AISA members registered protest with the police, the SHO was seen hurling one of the soaps back at the ABVP members.

The AISA gathering saw address by Usman from ASEAK which spearheaded the right to reproduction of academic material in The Chancellor Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford v. Rameshwari Photocopy Services case. Situation became tense as Kavita Krishnan, president of All India Progressive Women’s Association came forward to speak. Two ABVP female members were seen percolating the human chain maintained by the 50 plus strong police officials; they advanced towards Krishnan, who at the right time managed to dodge them. Subsequently, DUSU president Amit Tanwar was seen advancing towards the gathering and a scuffle broke between the two sides leaving Kawalpreet injured. Many members, including this writer were ‘roughed up’ in the clashes and the police, attempted at bringing tempers down by insinuating  at using legal action against members of both the sides. Flyers and posters carrying pictures of Rohith Vemula and Najeeb Ahmed, the missing JNU student were brought down by the ABVP members. Unable to control the situation, the SHO appeared helpless, as another officer took charge, fearing altercation between the two sides. Amid din that saw sloganeering from both the sides, a final warning sounded through a microphone asking both the sides to exercise restraint and disperse, failing which coercive measures were to be exercised by the police and paramilitary units.

AISA members dispersed and called off the meeting. Cries of victory could be heard from the other side. While ABVP members also consequently left the scene, AISA regrouped at the gate on the other side to discuss the heckling of Krishnan and the disruption of the event. Kawalpreet, who had sustained injuries during the clashes, addressed the gathering.

The ABVP has claimed that DUSU president Tanwar and many others were injured and taken to hospitals and that the scuffle broke on provocation by some AISA members. Both the sides have been circulating their side of the story on social media. The authorities denied commenting on the issue.

Image Credits: DU Beat database

Sidharth Yadav

[email protected]

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Arts Faculty

Tensions rise in North Campus as ABVP and AISA clash, political blame game ensues

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The political tension between the Student Union parties has reached a new high at a meeting today organized by the All India Students’ Association (AISA). An open meeting was organized at The Arts Faculty, University of Delhi on Thursday, October 27th 2016 to facilitate a productive discussion concerning the idea of ‘Freedom of Expression.’ With a slogan of Don’t Cage our Ideas, Don’t cage our Universities, the Idea of University saw speakers with ideologies of promoting an egalitarian environment, supporting free expression and thought. However, the event took a stark turn with reports chiming in about the chaotic clash between the right and the left wing, turning into a pure he said-she said controversy.

AISA’s take

AISA’s account of what transpired at the Arts Faculty today is diametrically different to what ABVP has conveyed. The event was scheduled for today, 12 pm onwards and the organising entities had already been subjected to the hostile attitude of the administration who created a fuss regarding the payment factor, and moved on to allow the placement of the event with the terms that there will be no usage of mics. It saw a gathering of about 250-300 people and about 2:30 the sloganeering began with slogans like ‘Rapist AISA’, ‘Laal Gulaani Chod ke, bolo Vande Mataram’, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. As ABVP was within the premises and holding a parallel event, they reportedly began hurling ‘lux soaps’ at the AISA activists, which AISA presidential candidate, Kawalpreet Kaur, interprets as, “The ‘soap’ meant that I need to clean myself, my mind and my body and passed sexist comments on me. As if a ‘BHARAT MATA’ should be well groomed and tidy.” The first act of violence was then followed by a full-fledged disruption led by the DUSU President, Amit Tanwar who resorted to physical violence against the activists along with members of his community. The left wing members were also assaulted with rape threats and physical aggression, as the Delhi Police consisting of almost 50 people, reportedly failed to control the mob. An AISA activist who was present at the event said, “The ABVP has once again proven its intolerance for a free and uncaged student community. We have been subjected to various hindrances, starting right from the administration with their discriminatory policy to the stark insecurity of the ABVP with the voice of dissent. Showers of stones and anti-national slogans were tossed at us, however, we are yet to be dissuaded from waging a just fight.”

ABVP’s take

In the hours between 1pm to 3pm, ABVP claims to have conducted a human chain protest in the Arts Faculty, North Campus to protest against the increasing communal atmosphere across the university. It is reported that a female activist of ABVP was hurled a stone at by a member of AISA, who then purposely began the scuffle and the consequent attack. AISA members then proceeded to toss casteist smears and abuses on the ABVP members, which was termed as an act of publicity. Three members of the ABVP community, DUSU President Amit Tanwar, Jyoti and Harshita were reportedly attacked and taken to the hospital. There were also reports of a journalist who provoked the ABVP members with slogans and later falsely claimed that he had sustained injuries. The ABVP activists are also said to have borne the brunt of the police who beat them up. ABVP claims that the event organized by AISA, The Idea of University, was illegally executed as it lacked the pre-requisite of a prior permission.

The versions of both the parties share no common ground, and are being circulated across the social media with pictures and videos as evidences for both the sides. The clash has come after rising strains between the two wings; one, condemning the spreading of communist ideas, and the other, lobbying for the freedom of expression and ideas in this vast area of education.

Update: Videos later emerged on AISA’s page, showing ABVP members charging towards the AISA gathering for the Idea of a University event.

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Around the Campus

Night Vigil held by Pinjra Tod disrupted by ABVP members

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Pinjra Tod

Pinjra Tod is an autonomous student-run collective effort aiming to ensure a secure and non-gender discriminatory University for all women students. They claim to be battling the university which they believe reproduces patriarchal and casteist structures by constantly seeking to regulate and control women students’ lives, mobility and sexuality through a wide range of mechanisms. On 23rd September 2016, Pinjra Tod organized a ‘Night March’ in Vijay Nagar, North Campus which aimed on reclaiming their right on the streets which they are forbidden to visit beyond their oppressive hostel and PG curfews. Pinjra Tod’s mission stated, “this time we are out on the streets to sit on a vigil against sexual harassment and rent extortion in PG’s, to ask for hostels that should be built for us, for that room that is ours no matter what time we return, for the collective spirit that threatens this patriarchal university so much”.

The march took place through the many lanes of Delhi University’s North Campus on that night in a peaceful and organized manner, after which the group collectively gathered at the Vijay Nagar tea point to begin their night vigil. As they sat on the vigil, the Pinjra Tod members put up a play which represented their daily struggles as woman in the university which was lauded by all the viewers at the tea point. All was said to be going well, when Satender Awana (ex-DUSU President from ABVP) arrived at Vijay Nagar along with his companions and placed themselves amongst the peaceful night vigil by Pinjra Tod. Their arrival followed a range of smirking, laughing and derogatory remarks by ABVP towards the protestors, it was also noted that these men took videos of protestors on their mobile phones with lewd hand gestures in display of their male entitlement over the female protestors. At the end of the play, the men from ABVP started chanting slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai!’ along with other provocative gestures towards the women which included flashing a ‘hundred rupee note’ at a protestor. On being challenged, the man caught hold of the Pinjra Tod activist’s wrists and kept tightening his grip, while attempting to corner her with his friends. This episode created a commotion at the protest area, which eventually cleared out as the men from ABVP left the spot to the activists of Pinjra Tod. This incident created an uproar amongst the female students of Delhi University towards the discriminatory nature of ABVP’s treatment towards Pinjra Tod’s vigil. In retaliation, Pinjra Tod is organizing another protest demonstration against ABVP on 20th October in the Faculty of Arts.

We were in conversation with a Pinjra Tod member who was present that night, she shared with us how the chanting of ‘Hum Bharat ki Mata nahi banenge’ by Pinjra Tod in response to ABVP was in order to instigate a feeling within these men about how women want ‘azaadi’ from these patriarchal structures of conformity which prescribes an ‘ideal woman’. She elaborated upon how the usage of lewd words by the men was an attempt towards character assassination of female students of Delhi University, and questioned their claim to be ‘student parties’ if they cannot treat the students within this university with due respect. The character assassination of women staying out ‘at night’ was an indication towards how these women are of low moral code and therefore do not have a place in their ‘savarna’ politics which is a bend towards casteism in student politics within DU. She also spoke of how the night vigil brought together all the activists of Pinjra Tod into a sense of solidarity towards reclaiming the spaces within the university which they are entitled to be in, as students.

Joyee Bhattacharya

[email protected]

 

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Bazinga

ABVP to Fly Students to Mumbai for the Coldplay Concert

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To get a chance at winning the coveted Coldplay concert tickets, contact [email protected].
Having been elected to three of the four seats that constitute the DUSU panel, ABVP has decided to carry out a gesture of gratitude towards the students of Delhi University. The party will distribute 100 tickets to the Coldplay concert to be held in Mumbai in November. However, that’s not all. The party will also fund the travel and accommodation expenses of these lucky students.

Wondering how these 100 are to be selected? Firstly, bad luck for those who haven’t voted for ABVP. In order to be selected, one has to email a picture or a link to a post to substantiate that they’ve voted for the party. In order to explain this hazy guideline, ABVP spokesperson Hirana Kamar has said, “Interested students have to email a picture or a link to a post to prove that they’ve voted for ABVP. It could be anything from a picture of a student wearing an ABVP t-shirt prior to the elections or a facebook post that the student had posted earlier, advocating their support for the party.” The email can be sent at [email protected].

The party has decided to take this move to rebuff accusations that they only give away freebies before the elections to lure students to vote for them. Wondering how they’re collecting the funds for this expedition? Well, most of the Coldplay concert tickets are free! People are required to undertake some sort of community work backed by NGOs to get them. So, ABVP workers will themselves carry out community work so as to earn the coveted tickets. Like ABVP party worker, Mameha Nagari had earlier declared, the party works for #girlpower and not #musclepower. So, they will be helping a NGO called “Naari Shakti” that supports women students who’ve been harassed by party workers during elections. Additionally, they will also be working with rag-pickers by helping them clean up the campus and subsequently collect income for them.

As for the travel and accommodation costs, the party will be paying for them by using a fraction of the funds that they’ve saved up this year by adhering to the Lyngdoh Commission which states the maximum permitted expenditure for each candidate as Rs. 5000.

According to DUSU President, Amar Tripathi, “We are not a party that attracts votes before elections by bribing students. We do not make hollow promises, but actually materialise them. This is just a tiny gesture of gratitude towards our voters. We do not believe in alienating them from University politics after the elections are over.”

Photo Credits: www.indiatoday.com

Swareena Gurung
[email protected]

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Miranda House

ABVP gets questioned intensely at the manifesto reading in Miranda House

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Miranda House organised the manifesto reading session of their students union as well as the DU students union elections, on 6th of September. Students showed overwhelming support for All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India while ABVP was questioned regressively.

The manifesto reading witnessed a huge turnout. Candidates standing for the post of MH students union read out their Manifestoes and answered a plethora of questions from students.

This was followed by manifesto readings of the Presidential candidates for DUSU from various parties. Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA’s presidential candidate hit a chord with the students and received an overwhelming support.  She was questioned later for the allegations of rape against Anmol Ratan, one of AISA’s members from JNU. She condemned the act and appreciated the fact that their party took a strong position against one of their own and had even requested immediate arrest.

DU-ABVP’s president, Abhishek Verma came next in the line to read out his party’s manifesto. The audience starting pitching questions at him as soon as he took to the podium. In fact, the functional college union had to control and convince students into listening to ABVP’s manifesto first.

As soon as the ABVP manifesto was over, students started questioning the party’s ideology and it’s position on the issues of dissent, debate and especially gender.  Allegations such as instances of eve teasing, the harassment of two Quint Journalist and Pinjra Tod activists by members of ABVP, among others were directed against the party.

SFI’s presidential candidate, Navjeet Punia, who is also a student at Miranda House, addressed the audience later and was received well.

Polling for both DUSU and MHSU elections will be held in Miranda House on 9th of September.

DU Beat wishes all the candidates a very Good Luck!

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Interviews

In conversation with DUSU Vice President, Priyanka Chhawri

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After days of anticipation and a rigorous electoral campaign, ABVP’s Vice Presidential candidate Priyanka Chhawri emerged victorious. A graduate in Mathematics from Lakshmibai College , University of Delhi, and currently pursuing her M.A in Buddhist Studies from Dept. Of Buddhist Studies, DU, from discussing her journey into politics to her plans of bringing changes in the campuse, we got chatting with her about her new found role.

Excerpts:

DUB: What motivated you to pursue your candidature in the DUSU elections? How did your journey into student level politics begin?

Priyanka Chhawri: I am a student activist from the past five years and it all started when I appeared for CATE entrance and saw a group of students protesting at the arts faculty against the DU administration. The protest was led by ABVP.I was so influenced by the student leaders that it occurred to me that I must also be there one day! So when I got admission in LBC,  I joined ABVP and became an active member! I saw a great change in me in these five years. ABVP groomed me into a more confident and responsible person and with time I attained the leadership skills that were needed to contest in DUSU elections and now, here I am, as the DUSU Vice President.

DUB:  What are your some of the key areas that you are personally looking forward to focusing upon in your tenure?

PC: Personally , I would focus more on introducing societies for blind and physically handicapped students, constructing pathways for the same, giving North Campus a new look by putting the map of the campus near metro and recognised places, creating awareness session about the women safety app launched by ABVP – ‘I FEEL SAFE’, in every college, providing health cards,making medical rooms functional in every college and providing the facility of printed mark sheets be issued to students after every semester.

DUB:  The DUSU polls saw some lavish campaigning this time again. What is your take on the guidelines by Lyngdoh Committee and National Green Tribunal about the budget restrictions and green campaigning? Do you think they are realistic targets that can be met?

PC: I think it’s not feasible to contest DUSU election in just 5ooo Rupees. How unrealistic it is, that the same amount is allowed to both contest college elections and DUSU? From the last four years , the Lyngdoh Committee hasn’t been reviewed and it’s time that we look into this matter.So, as an officer bearer, I will certainly put forward this issue. As far as paper usage is concerned, it is reduced as compared to last two years but yes it needs to end and just be limited to wall of democracy and advertising sites.

DUB: Last year saw DUSU office bearers being involved in some controversy or the other and accountability and work transparency was also an issue. How do you seek to tackle that?

PC: ABVP led DUSU is very committed to work for the student welfare and we have started working the day we joined our office. We submitted a memorandum to the DSW concerning the issues of students and currently we are working to combat the recent mass failure of the LL.B students regarding which, we have given a letter to the VC. This DUSU panel is dedicated to work for the student community and we have started our work positively !

DUB: NSUI has alleged discrepancy in the voting process and after a hunger strike, they are now planning to move to the court. What is your take on this whole matter?

PC: DU is a democratic university and it’s NSUI’s democratic right to get their doubts clear but I think by doing this they are questioning the mandate of the students. I think they should accept the decision of the students and move on and raise students issues rather than sitting and challenging the choice of students.

DUB: Having gone through the entire process of filing nominations, becoming the final candidate to actually winning, is there anything that you wish to change (procedural or otherwise) in the way DUSU elections unfold?

PC: From filing the nomination to actually contesting DUSU was a great experience. The administration has been very cautious during the scrutiny. But, an incident that seemed like a failure to me was when a candidate who filled the nomination was not present during scrutiny. It should become mandatory for all the candidates to be present during that process.

DUB: DUSU elections have been known to provide the country with some of the finest ministers we have had at the helm of authority in the past. Do you see yourself there? Do you plan to continue in politics?

PC: As of now , I will be working for the students and continue as a student activist.

DUB: Any interesting anecdote you would like to share with us that happened during the election process?

PC: Yes. Once I was delivering a speech in Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. I was in such a hurry (because it was the last day to campaign and I had to cover many colleges) that I forgot the last part and garbled some words and ran away. The students found it so funny and they said, ‘Hum samajh gaye aapki bhaavna’.

DUB: In a line, how would you define your motto for this year as a DUSU office bearer?

PC: I want this DUSU panel to be a medium of exposure for the student community. I will work on involving more students in every activity that is organised by DUSU!

Interviewed by Riya Chhibber

[email protected]

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DUB News

SRCC Professor alleges attack by DUSU President

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A physical education professor of SRCC on Monday alleged that he was attacked by DUSU president Satender Awana, a claim that has been refuted by the student leader. The professor, who’s been identified as Dr. Vineet Mehta, was on duty in the college when Awana, along with a group of students approached the department office to meet the teacher in charge of the college swimming pool.

Dr. Mehta claims that Awana came to meet Dr. Kuljeet Kaur, in charge of the pool committee, on the directions of the college principal, and when the group entered the office, Awana started using expletives against the professor. As Dr. Kaur was not in the office, the student leader asked for her phone number upon which the professor showed his denial and was consequently thrashed.

College authorities allege that the Police were initially reluctant to register an FIR for the fear of a possible backlash from the students. Only when roughly 70 teachers marched to the Maurice Nagar police station and a delegation met the DCP was the FIR registered on 14th afternoon. Copies were also sent to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Civil Lines, and the Commissioner of Police.

Awana claims that a group of students had approached him before to request a reduction in the swimming pool fee for non – SRCC students from Rs 200 to Rs 20, the standard fee for SRCC students, upon which he took up the issue with the principal. The principal directed him to the physical education department, where, denying allegations of physically assaulting the professor, he claims to have had just an ‘argument’.

The principal has assured prompt representation to the Vice Chancellor and the advisor to DUSU and has also sought legal advice on the issue. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has decided to stage a protest against the student leader today to demand action from the university authorities.

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Campus Central

Semester Exam evaluation stalled as DUTA protest continues

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In a recent press release, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has decided to continue its boycott of the recent semester exams evaluation till 16th June 2016, when the General Body (GB) will convene again to review the situation. The protest is in response to a notification by the UGC giving nod to the implementation of the  Academic Performance Indicators (API) system and other amendments that DUTA calls ‘retrogressive’ and an ‘attack’ on the higher education system of the country. This is a setback for the graduating students of the varsity as this has put on hold the post-graduate admissions to the varsity and might even stall the declaration of the semester exam results. Calling the gazette notification ‘draconian’, the DUTA has gone far to claim that if the government fails to roll back the notification, it might consider boycotting the admission process as well. The API system allows for teachers to be evaluated on the basis of students’ performance, a manoeuvre DUTA has called ‘unreasonable’.  Given the increase in the working hours of assistant professors from 16 hours to 24 cumulative hours and of associate professors from 14 to 22 cumulative hours, the DUTA claims that such a move will result in the loss of over 4,000 jobs and will work against the interests of both teachers and students. The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), in contrast to its previous position has demanded an immediate rollback of the notification and urged the teaching community to ‘resume evaluation work immediately’ to avoid compromise of the students. Agreeing to one of the demands of the protesting teachers, the UGC, on 10th June 2016, decided to set up a 5 member pay revision committee for academic staff. The committee will be chaired by UGC member Prof. V S Chauhan and will submit its report in six months. With no end in sight, the UGC has claimed that the system will bring ‘more flexibility’ to the academic environment and ruled out any claims of loss of jobs due to it. Image Credits: www.tribuneindia.com   Sidharth Yadav [email protected]]]>

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DUB News

ABVP protests against Prof. Saibaba’s rejoining, DUTA condemns move

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Ram Lal Anand Professor G.N. Saibaba, who was suspended from the university, following his arrest by Maharashtra Police in 2014 for alleged maoist links, recently became a centre of attack after his visit to the college. The English professor, who is out on bail, went to the college to submit a letter where he allegedly became a target of anger and protest by members of ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad).

While Professor Saibaba might be hopeful of a fresh start, his request for reinstatement has invited mixed reactions. A group of students, led by the members of the ABVP, strongly oppose the professor’s rejoining unless he is cleared of all the charges by the court. Talking to us, ABVP’s Delhi State Secretary, Bharat Khatana, said, “Saibaba has been suspended by DU and despite that he is coming to the college and addressing students. We believe that unless he gets a clean chit from the court and the Governing Body (GB) of the college, he must not be allowed to enter the college premises.”

Despite the relentless protests and public bashing, DUTA strongly condemned the attack on Dr. Saibaba. DUTA President Nandita Narain, while emphasising on the lack of security for the professor, told us, “Had it not been for the protection given by some faculty members and hundreds of college students, Dr. Saibaba could have suffered grievous injury. The DUTA expresses grave concern that the college administration as well as the local police did not prevent this violent intrusion, even though similar incidents had taken place over the last few days. The DUTA appeals to the VC for his immediate intervention to prevent this breakdown of governance in this university maintained college.”

Sharing the same sentiment, Narendra Pande, Associate Professor from the Department of History and a colleague of Saibaba told us, ” There are two important things which we must keep in mind. One is that, rule of law must prevail and second that,any suspended employ has a right to approach his workplace. We met the chairman of the Governing Body of the college, Mr. R.M. Kohli today and he will soon foresee the situation himself. The Staff Association, which is the teacher’s collective body of the college, passed a resolution with consensus to expedite the functioning of the one—member committee which has been formed by the college to look into the issue.”

The Staff Association plan to impress upon the Chairman of the Governing Body as well as the Principal of the college to take steps in order to stop the breakdown of normal functioning of the college and the creation of a conducive and safe environment for teaching. The Supreme Court had earlier this month granted the professor bail on the pretext that Maharashtra government had been “extremely unfair” to him.

To recall the important twists and turns of the case, read our timeline of Saibaba’s case here. 

Image credits: www.thehindu.com 

Riya Chhibber

[email protected] 

 

 

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