Delhi University’s School of Open Learning (SOL) students protested at various education centres on Sunday, following cancellation of classes for two consecutive weeks.
A students’ group belonging to the School Of Open Learning staged protests across many colleges of the Delhi University (DU), that act as study centres, causing huge chaos at these institutions. The students were protesting against the cancellation of Personal Contact Programme (PCP) classes for two consecutive weeks. According to the students, the classes were cancelled without any prior notice of intimation regarding the same to the students. The protests were organised in Gargi College, located in South Campus as well as Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, located in Shahdara on Sunday, September 15th. At Gargi College, female students surrounded the entrance gate and blocked the road, in protest against cancellation of classes.
Besides the classes being cancelled, SOL students also face problems of inadequate study material, and denial to entry in their study centres. According to the students, the classes were cancelled last week as well.
Moreover, the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) alleged the classes of B.A. Programme students were cancelled on Sunday at all SOL centres without the SOL administration informing students. “Thousands of first year students from B.A. Programme had reached their centres in the morning, as early as 8 am, but were forced to return after being told that classes for Sunday stood cancelled. Thousands and thousands of students who reached their centres were left clueless as to where to take classes after they were abruptly cancelled,” The classes have been cancelled due to “unpreparedness of SOL administration in implementing Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) curriculum from this year,” it asserted.
KYS had also said it will organise a protest demonstration at SOL Building in North Campus during the coming week. In response, Professor C.S. Dubey, Director of SOL, said, “B.A. programme classes were not scheduled for this Sunday. The classes of B.Com were scheduled for this Sunday.” Dubey also informed that SOL is likely to complete all the necessary arrangements and commence B.A. classes from next week onwards. The delay is being caused due to the change in the SOL curriculum in accordance with the latest Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) of the Varsity.
An eight-month-old baby was allegedly run over by a University employee in the campus premises of Netaji Subhas University of Technology on 13th September around 9:30 a.m. While, many believe that the University took steps to cover up the incident, the students stand in solidarity with the parents of the child.
On the morning of 13th September, an eight-month-old baby was allegedly run over by a car in the Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) Campus in Dwarka. The incident took place when a university employee was trying to park their car in the ground where the cars are parked throughout the day. The infant, Anand, had been put to sleep on the grass, as is often done by the workers on the campus. The faculty member ran their vehicle over the sleeping infant.
The concerned employee, allegedly, rushed to go and mark their biometric attendance after hitting the baby instead of tending to him as a means of securing their alibi. They were called back to the site later after being informed of the seriousness of the issue and the poor condition of the baby they hurt.
Multiple versions of the incident have arisen, as it is suspected that the college administration tried to cover up the incident. While one report by the Millennium Post says that the eight-month-old fell to death from a staircase, Outlook reported that the eight-month-old baby had died after falling off a 2 feet concrete structure in the campus.
Outlook reported, “The MLC report stated the injuries were caused to the baby due to fall from height, the police said.”
However, as reported by NDTV, a senior police officer in Dwarka said, “The child was run over by a car reportedly driven by a (university) employee. We were informed about the incident after a Police Control Room call was received at Dwarka North from Vanketeshwar hospital, that an eight-month-old baby was brought dead there. We haven’t received any complaint in this matter yet”
“The body of the infant was sent for post-mortem on Friday and the reports are awaited. We have recorded the statement of his parents and other relatives. However, the parents have denied the allegations on the college employee,” added the police officer.
Seeing a lack of support from the faculty, students and alumni of NSUT conducted their own investigation to connect the missing pieces, asking around the guards and some other authorities. As a result, they got a tip and found the mother. They asked the victim’s mother to come forward and speak the truth, post which she changed the statements.
The victim’s mother, Mrs. Satyadevi, in a video circulated, changed her statement on 16th September saying, “Jo pehle bata diya who galat hai uske liye maafi maangte hai. Bachhe ko khilaye pilaye aur sula diye hum. Ek gaadi aaya who humare bacche ke paas gaya. Hum nhi dekhe, ek dusra aadmi chillaya aur bola bachha uthayi. Kon tha who aadmi gaadiwala woh to hum nahi dekhe. Phir humare bacche ko kaha kaha le gayawoh hum nahi dekhe. (what I had said earlier was wrong and I apologise for that. I fed the baby and put him to sleep. A car then came near the baby. I didn’t see; some other man shouted and asked me to take the baby away. I didn’t see who the person in the car. I didn’t see where they took my baby afterward) ” Earlier, as reported by Outlook, the parents had denied these rumours and stated that the infant died due to falling off a 2-ft concrete structure
She added “hum maafi maangte hai (about the previous statements). Hum garib aadmi hai isiliye darr gaye hum kaha se kya karenge. Humko paise ka toh pata nahi hai. (I apologise. I am poor so I was afraid of how to deal with this. I am not aware of any money dealings)”
A security guard who claimed to be an eyewitness, saying that he saw the entire accident, was fired on that day itself. The parents of the child were also fired. It is speculated this was done to keep them silent. The students of NSUT found the parents held inside the Vice Chancellor’s house.
The students staged a protest in the campus premises demanding justice for the baby. They wore black to protest against the administration and organised a candle march on the campus. A faculty member, identified as the Dean of Student Welfare, was also caught on tape manhandling students.
“The administration pressurised the students not to take part in any protest because doing so would have serious action taken against them” said a student who did not wish to be named.
“Technically she (victim’s mother) was manipulated, way before anything, by the college administration.I’m highly impressed and really appreciate that everybody stood for the cause and everyone did their part of speaking up to these ruthless people”, said a fourth year student involved in the students’ movement.
On the other hand, Professor Sujata Senger, Dean of Academics, said to ABP News, “If we had blocked or stopped police from investigating in the campus, then it would have been our fault. I don’t think anything of this sort has happened. About the security guard being sacked, it is done by the agency itself. We don’t have any role in that.”
Students from the Institute of Home Economics, with the support of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), engaged in a protest against the increase in the fees of the college.
On Monday, 1st September 2019, the students of the Institute of Home Economics led by ABVP protested against the increase in the fees of the college. ABVP placed several demands before the college administration including reduction in the fees, improvement in the quality of food in college canteen, renovation of college washrooms, and re-opening of the closed book shop inside college premises.
As per the latest fee structure, the fees for many courses have been increased by INR 8,000-10,000 from last year. Last year, the fee for courses such as B.Sc (Honours) Home Science and Microbiology was INR 19,675. It has now been increased to INR 28,890. Similarly, the fee for B.Sc (Honours) Food Technology was INR 29,895 last year which has now been increased to INR 39,995.
According to the students, the fee structure of the college always seemed inadequate to them as it has always been more expensive than other colleges affiliated to the University of Delhi (DU), but they had accepted it as the courses offered by the institute are not widespread and not a lot of colleges offer the same courses. However, this immediate increase in the fees seemed unnecessary and requires change along with other issues of the college.
According to Jyoti Chaudhary, ABVP’s State Executive Member and former Joint-Secretary of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) “The fees of various colleges of Delhi University are constantly increasing, it’s a matter of concern for the common students. DUSU and ABVP had protested against the fee hike in colleges and hostels in the past as well, following which they were assured by the Delhi University Administration that their issue would be resolved but there has been no result so far. The way the fees are being increased by more than 50% in colleges, is not justified in any way. Colleges will continue to struggle against the fee hike.”
Image Credits: ABVP MediaStudents from Institute of Home Economics along with members of the ABVP protest against the fee hike. Image Credits: ABVP Media
Pratik Gupta, ABVP’s Institute of Home Economics Unit Chairperson said, “The fee of Institute of Home Economics is twice or thrice the fees of that of other colleges affiliated to the University of Delhi. Moreover, the college administration has imposed a financial burden on the students in several other ways adding to the common problems of these students. Fees inequality is unfortunate, considering that the condition of the washrooms and canteen of the college is not worth the additional fees.”
According to sources, hundreds of students participated in this protest against the authorities, but no one from the college administration tried to listen and understand the problems of the students. ABVP will soon conduct a protest on a large scale against the college administration in this context.
Students of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur (SGTB) Khalsa College protest against an abrupt increase in fees by the authorities.
SGTB Khalsa, established in 1951, is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges for Science, Commerce, and Arts in India.
Unlike other colleges affiliated with the University of Delhi (DU), the fee structure of SGTB Khalsa is relatively expensive. According to the sources, there has been a sudden fee hike this year ranging from INR 3,000 for Arts courses to INR 9,000 for Science Courses. Science students already pay additional fees in the name of labs and it has been increased again. Students are also charged in the name of university development fund, college development fund, maintenance fund, and overall development fund. Further, they are also expected to pay some extra amount as examination fees, which isn’t required in other colleges. Students are convinced that this is nothing but different ways by authorities of extracting money from them. This hike seems unjustified when there is no upgradation in the facilities provided by the college.
The source also revealed that apart from this, the accommodation facility inside the campus is also very expensive. The college hostels have skyrocketing fee structure of INR 71,000 per semester which is almost INR 1.5 lakhs per year. On the other hand, in other colleges, hostel fees are practically negligible or genuinely affordable.
According to Rhythm Nagpal, a student from SGTB Khalsa College, “The easily affordable fee structure is one of the reasons why Delhi University is a dream for students. We worked hard in high school to get here and this unjust behavior makes our efforts seem worthless. This hike is pointless and makes us question the authorities as it’s extremely unfair on their part. What will be the difference between private and government colleges then? The increment that is done gradually over years now takes place suddenly in just a year with no improvement in the facilities provided to us, the college needs to have a reality check and gain a perspective”.
Ravnoor Kaur, another student from SGTB Khalsa College said “The fees of DU doesn’t seem a lot and makes us think that a hike of Rs 3,000 hardly makes a difference but DU has students from all over the nation who are accommodated in PGs and are paying abundant of rent, which is also increased every year at an alarming rate. The administration should think of those students and think what impact this unjust action would have on them and their families”
The controversy behind the installation of the busts of VD Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Bhagat Singh in North Campus escalated with protests, detentions and ultimate removal of the statues.
In a press release by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today, the student outfit said that the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) removed the busts of VD Savarkar, Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose, which had been installed earlier this week, from the University premises.
It also said that the University administration has given assurance to the ABVP and the DUSU that after the students’ union elections – scheduled for 12th September – the busts will be re-installed as per the necessary procedure. According to the DUSU’s own admission, the busts had initially been installed overnight of their own will, as the administration had allegedly not responded to their requests for months.
Even though the ABVP is currently in power in the Union, the party had maintained that “the busts should be installed in the University of Delhi campus only with the permission of the Delhi University Administration and other concerned authorities.”
Before the removal of the busts, however, there had been demonstrations and protests by parties opposed to the ABVP. A signature campaign was held Friday by various student organisations, such as Parivartankami Chhatra Sangathan (Pachhas), Pinjra Tod Collective, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and others. Sources told us that during the proceedings, the police took action and detained two Pachhas members: Deepak Gupta and Manish Gautam.
A statement made by Pachhas alleged that the police took the biodata of both detainees, who were also told that they would be charged under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. The statement then alleged that Deepak Gupta was taken into a separate room, where he was not allowed to sit and not given water. Mr Gupta also alleged that the police tried to “personally attack and humiliate me verbally.” Gupta’s father was allegedly called by the cops, however owing to “bad signal” the call could not be completed. “In a half-hour interrogation, the police tried to intimidate me just because we were peacefully protesting against Savarkar,” the statement further read.
The statement further alleged that during the interrogation, two members of the ABVP, who had been detained for some matter, came into the room. “The strict demeanour of the cops disappeared,” it said. It was also alleged that while Gupta had been made to stand for half an hour, the ABVP members were offered chairs to sit. The statement said that the protests meanwhile kept going at the Arts Faculty Gate. Following the “continued pressure, both members were released after three and a half hours.” However, Gupta says that while the police told them that they were being charged with Section 188, Gautam and he were not given any information about it as they had not received any calls regarding this yet.”
Speaking to DU Beat, Siddarth Yadav, State Secretary, ABVP Delhi, denied the veracity of this chain of proceedings. “It is a good story but none of it is true,” he said. However, he did not respond on time to our further questions regarding what the correct account of proceedings in his view was.
A statement released by ABVP said that the party “demands stringent legal action against those involved from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) in insulting our freedom fighters” – in response to the NSUI Delhi President Akshay Lakra blackening the bust of Savarkar around 2-2:30 a.m. on 22nd August. “Student organisations associated with left ideology, CYSS and NSUI have stooped down to a very low level and have given a major blow to the culture of debate and discussion prevalent in the university,” it read, saying that the said organisations were “insulting freedom fighters to meet their trivial political interests.”
Akshay Lakra also released a statement which said: “NSUI never wanted to create any hooliganism or nuisance in the campus but we won’t tolerate infiltration of any type of fake nationalism.” He alleged that the “ABVP tried to divert the attention of students of [their] unsuccessful DUSU 2018 tenure including Ankiv Baisoya’s fake degree… this whole statue incident was an attempt to polarise and change the discourse of DUSU elections.”
The history and importance of protests and political expression in the University of Delhi (DU) after Vivekananda College released a notice warning students against taking part in political rallies becomes more significant.
DU is known for having an active and politically engaged student body, with protests, marches, and parades for various issues being an integral part of college life. Being a part of DU means being a part of a student body comprising people from all parts of the country, all sections of the society, and ideologies across the whole spectrum. In the varsity, students actively use responsible and peaceful forms of dissent to get one’s voice heard and bring student issues to the forefront. However, this freedom is slowly coming under attack due to certain groups of people trying to enforce their ideologies and stifle others who go against them. Recently, with Vivekananda College issuing a notice warning students against taking parts in political rallies and promising a disciplinary action for those who disobey, this suppression of voice has become more apparent and real.
Aahil sheikh, a first-year student of B.A (Honors) Political Science from Kirori Mal College, when asked for his opinion on Vivekananda College’s decision, stated “The current decision of Vivekananda College to ban political activities on campus takes away the autonomy of college students which completely goes against the right to protest. I believe that the Constitution has given everyone, including college students the right to mobilize and try to get something they believe in, so I am completely against the decision taken by Vivekananda College.”
On the importance of youth activism at college, Manvendra Krishna , another first-year student from Kirori Mal College said “Since the youth is the future of the country and college is the final stepping stone for students before they enter the real world, the exposure to politics at the college level is important because it produces educated student leaders and empowers the students to question the system, and provides them a medium to voice their opinions on the policies that impact them and fight the oppressors by making them aware of their rights as well as that of others and bring about a positive difference in the world.” Krishna quoted an example of Joshua Wong, who at a tender age of 14 was the face of the umbrella revolution: a pro-democracy movement that barricaded itself in downtown Hong Kong to emphasize that there are many such Joshua Wongs in the world but they according to him don’t get enough opportunities to speak. He also added that “This snatching away of student voices is aversive to the fundamentals that bind a democracy. Thus, I believe in advocating for a system that fosters the growth of many such young and educated student leaders so that the system becomes more responsible and accountable.”
College students are of the age and maturity to know how to show dissent and protest responsibly. They should be allowed to voice their opinions on campus since that is the fastest way to reach the eyes and ears of the administration. Democracy is constantly changing and evolving and students can and play an integral role in keeping the administration and the government in check.
Following demands to rename the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) Office after VD Savarkar, the DUSU has now installed a pillar with the busts of Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh in the campus, creating a new row.
In an incident that is causing a new controversy in the University of Delhi (DU), the DUSU– led by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students’ wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)– on Tuesday, installed the busts of VD Savarkar, Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh on a pillar outside the Arts Faculty Gate No. 4 in the North Campus. This development comes a week after the student party raised a demand to christen the DUSU Office as ‘Veer Savarkar Bhawan’.
This episode has created a new row in the University circuit. The conflict has arisen because firstly, the DUSU allegedly not followed the proper procedure behind the installation of the busts, and secondly, the opponents of this move are raising a more fundamental criticism that placing Savarkar along with Subhas Bose and Bhagat Singh is unjustified.
“Anti-national step”
In what seemed like giving the ABVP a taste of RSS and BJP’s own medicine, the Indian National Congress (INC) backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) called the move made by the DUSU an “anti-national step” and an example of “sheer pseudo-nationalism”.
Saimon Farooqui, the National Secretary of the NSUI, said, “ABVP has always considered VD Savarkar as their hero. [In spite] of him begging for mercy in front of the English Government, the ABVP wants to promote his agenda. We should never forget that he opposed Quit India Movement and refused from unfurling Tiranga, hence demanding for Hindu Rashtra. Comparing Savarkar to Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose is an insult to our Martyrs and their freedom struggle. Naming the august office of representatives of the students of one [of] the best universities after an anti-national person will bring disgrace to the university. It is an example of sheer pseudo-nationalism of ABVP. I, on behalf of NSUI strongly oppose this anti-national step.”
Similarly, on the issue of naming the DUSU Office after Savarkar, Sumit Kataria, the Delhi State Vice President of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the party affiliated to the Communist Party of India (CPI), said, “They [DUSU] are not making any new institution and are just renaming an already existing one. All these are just political gimmicks by ABVP to cover up the fact that they have not done anything for the welfare of the student community over the past one year since the DUSU elections are around the corner. Also, this is just a part of their agenda of rewriting Indian history. Savarkar was a traitor to the Indian freedom struggle as he wrote many mercy petitions to the British and had pledged his allegiance to the British rule. Also, his views are completely against the idea of a secular democratic India. Naming DUSU office after such a person should be opposed at any cost and it will be.”
Akshay Chauhan, a student of History at Hindu College stated “I must say Bhagat Singh has died today. To be venerated with a Hindu nationalist who was in cahoots with the colonialists, Bhagat Singh died a shameful death.”
“Youth icons”
Not all were condemning the move of the DUSU. Professor Rasal Singh, a Member of the RSS-affiliated teachers’ organisation, National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF), said, “All three [Savarkar, Bose, Bhagat Singh] are great youth icons. It is high time for the youth to get inspired by them and inculcate those values for which they lived and died.” Prof Singh had contested for the post of the DUSU Vice President on an ABVP panel in 2000.
However, given that many contested and criticised Savarkar’s very ideals and actions, was it justified to consider him a hero? “Yes definitely,” replied Professor Singh, “This is distorted history [written] by communist and colonial historians. That’s why we demand rewriting of history with nationalist perspective.” He asked in return, “Members of DUSU, which is [the] largest students’ union in the country and ABVP, which is [the] largest organization of students in the world feel that Savarkar is a national hero. [Then] what’s the issue? [Do] not they represent youths of this country?”
DU Beat had previously quoted Siddharth Yadav, the ABVP Delhi State Secretary, as saying, “Our University has forgotten the heroes of our freedom struggle. If studied thoroughly, he [Savarkar] is the true inspiration for youngsters.”
Question of procedure
According to a report in The Indian Express, “The pillar came up overnight and, by DUSU’s own admission, without permission from university authorities.” The report stated that a guard, supposedly on duty outside the Arts Faculty Gate No. 4, had said, “a mini-truck was brought in a green tent-like structure around 2 am [on Tuesday], which was set up outside the gate and surrounded by ABVP activists. Around 9.30 am, the structure was removed to reveal the pillar.”
Shakti Singh, the DUSU President in the aforementioned report, stated “We have written to university officials several times asking for permission to set up such a monument — last November, this March, April and again in August — but we got no response. So we decided to go ahead and do it ourselves,”
The condemnation (and approbation) towards the installation of Savarkar’s bust alongside those of Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh was largely partisan. However, concerns regarding the adherence to the proper procedure were raised by even those who fundamentally supported the idea of installing the busts. Despite hailing the move itself, Professor Singh said, “However, I feel laid-down procedure should have been followed for this installation.”
Mr. Yadav, regarding the question of procedure, said, “ABVP is of the clear view that the busts should be installed in Delhi University campus only with the permission of the Delhi University Administration and other concerned authorities.” Despite reiterating the claim of the DUSU that their demands had been “completely ignored” by the administration, he added that “ABVP has clarified to the [DUSU] that the busts should be kept in the DUSU office till the permission is granted and the busts should be installed only after the due permission of the administration.”
The land on which the bust has been installed falls under the jurisdiction of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), as reported by the Indian Express.
Protest against the bust
The Indian Express had quoted Akshay Lakra, the NSUI Delhi Unit President, as saying, “If the statues are not removed within 24 hours, we will launch a strong protest.”
Then, early morning on Thursday, NSUI activists were seen approaching the Arts Faculty Gate where the pillar was installed. TheTimes of India reported that the incident took place between 2-2:30 AM. Mr Lakra, who was leading the members of the student party, first garlanded the busts of Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose and then tore off the garland from Savarkar’s. He then went on to place a garland of shoes around Savarkar’s bust but was stopped by the security personnel present there. With the garland of shoes off the bust, Mr Lakra then defaced it with what looked like black ink. The bust was, however, found clean in the morning today.
Akshay Lakra, NSUI Delhi President, was seen defacing the Savarkar bust around 2 AM. Image and Video Credits – Amarjeet Kumar Singh, AISA
It should be noted that these recent developments have come up when the DUSU elections are just around the corner. The University announced on 20th August that while the last date for filing nominations is 4th September, the polling will take place on the 12th of September.
Feature Image Credits – Kawalpreet Kaur – Delhi President, All India Students’ Association – via Facebook
In response to the abrogation of Article 35A and Article 370, the nation saw countrywide protests being organised by various organisations.
Student leaders, political figures, and dissenting students took to the streets of Mandi House to make their way to Jantar Mantar to protest the abrogation of Article 35A and Article 370 which granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The protest was supported by organisations including Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB).
The move has left people confused and shocked. People have been vocal about their dissent through social media. The varied reactions, some celebratory and some condemning it have made Delhi the hotbed of protests and celebration rallies this week.
“There’s a new way of misogyny in the air after the abrogation. There are memes and posts about men wanting to marry a Kashmiri woman. Does this mean they intend to kill all our boys? There has been excitement over the prospect of buying land. So, it was never about the people, was it? Only the land,” said a Kashmiri woman.”I’ve been here for 10 years. I went to university here, I got my first job here. I’ve never come out for a protest ever before but the latest news forced me out of my house. I need to be seen, I need to be heard.” added another Kashmiri woman on the conditions of anonymity.Amidst placards, posters, and media personnel running around to take interviews, a few protestors drew graffiti and wrote slogans on the road as leaders from the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Lenininst) spoke about the issue.
Shortly, a counter protest by unknown people began outside the barricades. They unfurled the national flag and waved it high while shouting slogans demanding ‘azaadi’ (freedom) from ‘anti-nationals’. Their display of hyper nationalism found itself in slogans praising the nation as the police and CRPF forces formed a tight, protective circle around them. The counter protesters also chanted aggressive slogans like “desh ke gaddaro ko, goli maaron saalon ko” (shoot all the traitors of the nation).
As the valley spends its third day without any communication channels, reports and rumours of protests, stone pelting, and death in the rehion leave the Kashmiri students in Delhi distressed.Students are yet to hear from their families back home. Reports of curfew and increased military presence has only added to their fears and worries.
The abrogation has left Ladakh as a Union Territory without its own legislature. Students from Ladakh spoke against the decision. Mohammad Ali, a student from Jawaharlal Nehru University said,“The MP proudly smiles and boasts his hapoiness on TV, he say the people of Ladakh are happy, but let me tell you that they aren’t. There have been protests because we don’t welcome this move. Bifurcating the state only puts us in a more vulnerable position. Ladakh’s ecology is in danger due to climate change and rising tourism. The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A will only damage the ecology further as outsiders will try to set up their companies. Tell me, how do you take such a major decision without asking the people? Is this what Indian democracy stands for?”
Many students chose to cover their faces at the protest or chose to not show up at all. Fear of being recognised and reported grips the Kashmiri diaspora in Delhi. “As a Kashmiri woman, my fears have only increased this year. First it was Pulwama, and now this.” The suddenness of the abrogation has left students torn between the legalities and the emotions it provokes. “It’s unconstitutional and undemocratic, that’s all I can say,” said a university student. “They’ll have to lift the curfew someday, and when they will, there will be bloodshed. I am terrified of that happening.”
Various University of Delhi (DU) Student Organisations gathered to protest against the planned attack on the Unnao rape victim. Read on to know more.
Student organisations of DU held a joint protest in front of the Faculty of Arts, North Campus, on 1st August 2019, to show their dismay over the lack of protection provided to the Unnao rape victim, and the delayed actions taken by the Supreme Court and the Government with respect to this incident. They also condemned the BJP Government, especially Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, for being complicit with the accused.
All India Students’ Association (AISA), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), Pinjra Tod, Students’ Federation of India (SFI), etc., were some of the student parties that had joined the protest.
Shreya Singh, a member of the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) said, “This protest is not only for the Unnao rape victim, but for the lack of safety provided by the Government to girls and women in the country. This protest is against patriarchy. It is for true equality and real freedom for women.”
In the shadow of the Unnao Rape Case, Siddhant Raj, a member of the Progressive Democratic Students’ Federation (PDSF) questioned the Government, the police, and the Supreme Court’s capabilities to protect the girls and women in the country. Many present also condemned the BJP Government’s hypocrisy with respect to the status of women in the country. Harish Gautam, a member of KYS said, “The BJP MLAs go around chanting slogans of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ and promote themselves by clicking selfies in front of campaigns like this, but when it actually comes to it, they do nothing to protect the girls in the country. Right from the beginning, the Unnao rape survivor was being threatened but the BJP Government failed to provide her with any security.” Shreya Banerjee, a member of AISA agreed to this and said, “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao has been murdered.”
On 28th July 2019, the Unnao rape survivor and her lawyer were critically injured and the rape victim’s relatives killed in a car accident in Rae Bareli, allegedly planned by the BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the main accused in the rape.
The National Student’s Union of India (NSUI) held a protest march against the amendments made to the Right to Information Act (RTI) by the Government. Read on to know more.
On 1st August 2019, the NSUI held a protest march in front of the Faculty of Arts, North Campus, showing its strong displeasure towards the move taken by the Government to make amends to the RTI Act. The members of the students’ political party marched from the Faculty of Arts to Kirori Mal College, all the while chanting slogans like “RTI Bachao, Desh Bacho“.
Neeraj Kundan, National President, NSUI said, “Today the RTI is one of the most important laws in the country, it directly affects the people. In 2017, when the BJP Government saw that the RTI could expose high government officials like Smriti Irani, and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they started trying to curb its power. The Government is now trying to reduce its autonomy and cage it. NSUI is going to hold protests all over the country until our rights are given back to us.”
Students and associations like The North East Students’ Society, Delhi University (NESSDU) turned up in large numbers to support the NSUI’s protest against the RTI amendments. They marched with bold banners and enthusiastic slogans. The presence of the Delhi Armed Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) showed how protests in the DU are feared to turn violent, but this was an extremely peaceful protest.
Surbhi Dwivedi, National General Secretary of NSUI and the RTI Team Convener emphasised on the importance of the RTI for the student community. She said, “The RTI is the most effective tool in student politics. It helps students to find discrepancies in the University. A strong RTI is our right.” Robin Chaudhary, National Secretary of NSUI, said that they were determined to fight for democracy and that if the Government did not heed to their demands, they would go on a hunger strike.
The RTI Act, 2015 is an Act of the Parliament of India “to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens”. It has made the workings of the Government more transparent, helped to reduce corruption and has facilitated in the workings of this democracy. The RTI Commissioners used have fixed five-year tenure and their salaries were equal to certain posts in the Election Commission and the bureaucracy. The recent amendments made to the act by the BJP Government have changed this. According to the new amendments, the central government now has direct control over the Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners’ term of office and salaries. The changes made to the RTI are being seen by many as the Government trying to control it, and as a result of this many voices in objection to the RTI amendments are being raised all over the country.
