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

Protests

Browsing
Campus Central

LSR Protest Sparks Debate; Principal’s Statement, Students’ Reaction, and the Campus’s Apolitical Stance In Question

By

While protests at LSR continue for the removal of the Principal’s video featured on BJP’s official Instagram page, debates spark on institutional identity, political freedom, and the student’s right to dissent. 

After the protests staged at LSR on the 15th of April over the Principal’s video on Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam being featured on the official Instagram page of the Bharatiya Janata Party came to an inconclusive end, the Principal, Dr. Kanika K. Ahuja issued an official statement to The Indian Express. She stated,

The views were shared in the video in an individual capacity. While I hold the office of the Principal, it is important to distinguish between personal intellectual engagement with a social subject and a formal institutional communique.” 

Addressing the college’s reiterated commitment to maintaining the ‘apolitical’ stance, she said, “The college’s commitment to an apolitical environment refers to an absence of partisan affiliation not a detachment from critical social discourse.” She further addressed the alleged “saffronisation” on campus through selectively inviting speakers by adding,

The selection of speakers and the organisation of events are decentralised processes at LSR. These decisions are primarily driven by the respective student societies in consultation with their faculty advisors.”

These clarifications come in the wake of the student-led protest held on campus where students across departments and years organised sit-ins at the lower foyer—the immediate area outside the auditorium, adjacent to the Principal’s Office—along with the adjoining corridors, staircases, and outdoor spaces to raise concerns regarding the circulation of this video, which they believed to be in direct opposition to the college’s stated ‘apolitical’ stance that has been reiterated to close down exhibitions, refuse approval of speakers, and hinder free political expression on campus.

In a clarification issued by the students through a statement they refute accusations of being against the Women’s Reservation Bill. The statement published through an anonymous Instagram account reads, “Contrary to the disinformation at the moment—the students of LSR are not mobs protesting against the Women’s Reservation Bill which was talked about by Principal, Ms. Kanika K. Ahuja. The students are conducting a PEACE PROTEST at the moment against the hypocritical stance on apoliticality that our Principal uses to dismiss the girls when they attempt to talk about critical discourses, creative freedom…”. To the students of LSR who stress on their protest as peaceful—one that they reasserted with a floral arrangement reading “We Come in Peace” against the accusations of being a “mob” as asserted by a faculty member—their primary cause of dissent is the featuring of the Principal’s video where she is identified not in an individual capacity but as the Principal of Lady Shri Ram College on the official Instagram Page of BJP. 

Image of the floral arranged shared by anonymous source.

While Ahuja reported to the Indian Express that, “I, staff advisors, faculty and others in the administration have remained in active dialogue with students to address campus concerns”, students report otherwise. During a brief interaction with students on the day of the protest, which multiple attendees reported as lasting less than fifteen minutes, Ahuja reportedly presented documents of communication and stated that the video was originally recorded for the Ministry of Women and Child Development but was uploaded by the BJP without her permission.

When asked if any actions had been taken to get the video removed, the students reported that no such action had been initiated, and that the Principal informed that gathering that she would “consider” sending an email for removal of the video. Similarly, on the second day of the sit-in, that is 16th April, she allegedly did not show up to the auditorium after her presence was requested by the protesting students, who complied with her initial request of an audience at the Auditorium instead of the Lower Foyer. 

Following the protest on 15th April, which ended in the Principal walking-off in lieu of what she termed as “disrespect”, the administration of the college sent an email quoting a directive issued by the University of Delhi’s Proctor’s Office on March 23, 2026. The notice emphasised the need for prior approval from the concerned authorities for organising protests and demonstrations on the institution’s grounds. It further said that failing to comply with these requirements could result in disciplinary action, and asked students to follow the directive and continue attending classes. 

Screenshot of Notification from LSR Administration.

Multiple students reported that the administration  had been calling their guardians and parents to report their involvement in the protest, which they viewed as a clear violation of their rights. Additionally, the Students’ Union of Lady Shri Ram College of 2025-26 and 2026-27 issued a joint statement across liaison groups: they wrote,

We the Student Union of Lady Shri Ram College, wish to state unequivocally that we are not the organisers, convenors, or leaders of the protest currently taking place within the college premises…As elected representatives, our role is limited to facilitating communication and ensuring that the concerns of the students are conveyed appropriately to the relevant authorities.”

As news channels and social media pages continue a widespread reporting on the protest, the students of LSR involved in the sit-ins released a statement through the anonymous Instagram Page to “please represent the truth of our protest to the public so it doesn’t have the false narratives attached to it.” This request comes in light of multiple accounts on X accusing the protestors to be “Left-wing students (backed by terrorist org SFI) [who] not only made the Principal captive but also almost tried to lynch her and her daughter, just because she made a video supporting the women’s bill.”

Multiple such statements trying to relegate the protests to a political party have been actively refuted as the students’ demand remains the same—removal of the video, issuing a public clarification, avoiding external speakers on campus without proper background checks, ensuring all political engagements remain strictly non-partisan on campus, and ultimately reaffirming the institution’s commitment to secular and democratic values. 

Multiple students have reported that during the first day of the protest, that is 15th March, a certain faculty member had been recording videos of the protesting students, many of whom were minors, without their consent. On informing the Principal regarding the same, including a case of alleged manhandling by the aforementioned Professor, the Principal reportedly stated that she would believe her colleague over the students in light of an adjacent incident which was brought up without the involved student’s consent. A deletion of such videos and photographs have been immediately demanded by the students, which the Principal reportedly agreed to. 

Prominent public figures like Anish Gawande and Akhilesh Yadav have stepped up in support of the protesting students of Lady Shri Ram College; the former wrote on his Instagram story, “Very important clarification. You cannot demand that the students remain apolitical while the administration toes a political line.”

Screenshot of Anish Gawande’s Instagram Story

A student in conversation with DU Beat said,

We’re fighting to protect the ethos of our institution. What we’re seeing right now is a spread of convenient misinformation led by the principal, which is shaping a narrative against her own community, against her own students. That is unacceptable.”

This protest against the actions of Dr. Ahuja is however not the first incident of outrage by the student body of Lady Shri Ram College, but follows the sexist and Islamophobic comments passed by ex-diplomat Deepak Vohra in the presence of the Principal during an event organised within the college. 

However, while the outrage continues, it is to be noted that while the online community of students supporting the protest remains at large numbers of 1000+ across multiple channels, on-campus limited students have actively engaged in the sit-ins. At the same time, student responses have been mixed; while a section of the students are concerned about institutional consistency and the larger implications of the Principal’s involvement on a particular party’s platform, others wholeheartedly welcome her stance. They emphasise an individual’s right to participate in public affairs, especially those involving women’s representation; a LinkedIn user from LSR writes,

“At the end of the day, she is not only our Principal but also an individual entitled to her own thoughts and opinions, just as each of us.”

On this, Principal Ahuja reported to Times Now, “Roughly 175 students participated in the protest out of around 4000 enrolled on campus. They do not represent the majority.” The separation of the personal from the political has at large remained the cause of support towards the Principal’s video, which claims to remain stationed only upon the Bill, and not upon the political party. 

These recent developments across Delhi University and in particular within LSR, with respect to the conversations between the students and the administration during times of dissent, which remain inconclusive, point to a larger question of autonomy, authority, and hierarchy within college spaces, particularly on colleges that allege to be ‘apolitical’ but in practice remain otherwise. If to be or not to be [political] is the question, then the shaping of this incident, especially for a campus like LSR which has a long-standing history of intellectual inquiry, student engagement, and expression of free speech, shall determine the long-term implications of how college spaces are reconstructed, for both the students and the administrators. 

 

Read Also: LSR Students React to the Principal’s Statement on BJP’s Official Instagram Page

Image Credit: Anonymous Source

 

DU Beat

Keep Reading
By
Around the Campus

Hansraj College Fest Witnesses Chaos; Alleged Stabbing and Fights Ensued

By
Fight breaks out at Hansraj College fest

After protesting and ultimately being granted permission for an artist at their college fest, Confluence 2026, Hansraj College witnessed a fight breaking out, creating chaos right before the artist’s performance began. 

On 9th April, 2026, Hansraj College stepped into the final day of their fest, Confluence 2026, with an artist performance by singer Vilen marking the end of their 2-day celebration. However, right before the curtains drew to a close, a fight ensued, causing chaos, commotion, and the inevitable rumours of a larger catastrophe. 

Spectators reported a brutal knife stabbing incident right before the artist’s performance began, with students of Hansraj College, and even outsiders, engaging in a fight with tables and chairs being thrown around. An unofficial students’ page of Delhi University alleged that the bricks used for construction in the renovation of the Gau Shalla were thrown around by the students, and one student’s head was injured as a result. However, the alleged stabbing incident has not been confirmed yet by any official reports. 

Videos shared with the Editorial Team of DU Beat showcased individuals engaging in physical fights with one another, involving punching, kicking, and stomping on an unidentified individual near what has been identified as the C Block. Reportedly, the Art Society of Hansraj, Kalakriti, had to close down its stall as it was in the direct vicinity of the incident.  

Similar fights were recorded where individuals were seen running out of the college hostel gates with one unidentified individual’s shirt being torn apart, tables being thrown at him, and ultimately, him being dragged out by a group of individuals. 

A student from Jesus and Mary College attending the fest stated,

There was a fight but it was before Vilen came on stage. But the concert duration was only till 5 or 5:30 and they wrapped it up pretty quickly.” 

Similarly, another student from Hansraj College added,

There was an unexpectedly large crowd at the event, which became difficult to manage, especially once the artist arrived. There were instances of people climbing barricades and a lot of pushing, making it hard to even stand, particularly in the front rows. The situation was also made worse due to the hot weather. Some of the disturbance had actually started even before the artist arrived, as we noticed groups of people rushing towards the hostel gate.”

The understaffing of security and poor management due to an unprecedented crowd have been highlighted across testimonies received by the Editorial Team. 

Reports, including Instagram stories shared by members of the Hansraj Students’ Union and Students’ Council, hinted at a similar chaos unfolding on Day 1—the Secretary of Hansraj College shared an Instagram story with regard to the incidents of 8th April, captioned, “Guys kal please thoda civilised behave krlo” [Guys please behave civilised tomorrow]. 

In one video circulated on Instagram, police officers were also seen intervening amongst the fighting students. A first-year student from Hansraj College added,

The incident at the hostel gate was the most severe one. From the information that’s being circulated, the fight involved a group of students allegedly fighting over a girl, which required police being called to handle the situation.” The same student observed that most of the rights and acts of violence were initiated by non-Hansraj students who were thereafter escorted out of the campus. 

Despite the chaos that ensued, videos have been widely circulated of the singer Vilen performing with a large audience cheering, dancing, and singing along. Many students added that the fest was successful, given the protests undertaken by the Hansraj Students’ Union and the college at large, with respect to obtaining artist permission from the administration. 

In an exclusive conversation with the President of the Students’ Union of Hansraj College, Abhijit Singh, he added that the majority of chaos and fights were ensued by outsiders with the intent of lobbying. He stated,

“Throughout the whole night, me and the Union were awake securing barricades for safety arrangements, however, on the day of the fest the crowd exceeded expected capacity. We tried our best to help the students and the artist performance was thereafter conducted smoothly.”

Singh additionally criticised the failure in security management from the police and noted that budget allocations were abruptly changed and payments were held by the college administration. He further stated that the stabbing incident has not been officially reported to the Union and is likely a rumour, along with issuing a clarification regarding the fight at the hostel gate; he said,

The video showcasing the fight located at the Hostel Gate is in fact Gate No 5, which is also the entry gate to the college. No fight happened within the hostel and most of the violence and chaos was orchestrated by non-Hansraj students.”

Image Source: DU Beat

Read Also: Students Secure Artist Approval After Overnight Protest at Hansraj College

 

Aaratrika Ghosh

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

DU Proctor Issues Month-Long Ban on Protests and Public Gatherings Across Campus

By

Delhi University has announced a month-long ban on protests and public gatherings across campus, citing concerns over safety and public order.

The University of Delhi has imposed a temporary prohibition on protests, demonstrations, and public gatherings across its campuses for a period of one month, according to an official order issued by the Office of the Proctor on February 17, 2026.

The circular, addressed to students, faculty members, and staff, states that all forms of public meetings, processions, rallies, dharnas, and demonstrations are “strictly prohibited” within university premises with immediate effect. The restriction will remain in force until March 17, 2026, unless withdrawn earlier.

According to the order, the decision was taken following inputs suggesting that unrestricted gatherings on campus could lead to traffic obstruction, threats to human life, and disturbances to public peace. The Proctor’s Office noted that in previous instances, protest organizers had allegedly failed to manage crowds effectively, leading to escalation and deterioration of law and order within university spaces.

The directive also references an order issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Civil Lines subdivision, under provisions linked to notifications by the Ministry of Home Affairs. These regulations extend the scope of restrictions to several specific activities.

Under the order, the assembly of five or more persons for protest-related purposes has been prohibited. The use or carrying of potentially hazardous materials, including mashals, beacons, or torches, has also been banned. Additionally, slogan shouting, public speeches, rallies, and any activity that could disrupt public tranquillity or impede the smooth flow of traffic are not permitted during the enforcement period.

University authorities justified the move as a preventive measure aimed at maintaining safety and ensuring normal academic functioning across campuses. The order emphasizes concerns over crowd management and the potential spread of unrest during large gatherings.

The circular has come into immediate effect from February 17, 2026, following approval from the competent authority, marking a significant temporary restriction on collective demonstrations within Delhi University campuses.

Read Also: Understanding Ambedkar: lessons from an elective course 

 

Image Credit: Devesh for DU Beat

 

Anjali Kumari Jha

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

SFI Delhi Committee Condemns Expulsion of Member from AUD, Calls It “Undemocratic”

By

SFI Delhi condemns AUD’s expulsion of Comrade Nadia and the suspension of activists, calling it undemocratic repression; it demands reinstatement, a fair inquiry, and the protection of students’ rights and campus democracy.

The Delhi State Committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has strongly condemned the expulsion of one of its members, Comrade Nadia, from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) along with the suspension of five other student activists. The federation termed the action as an “undemocratic student repression” and vowed to fight against what it described as the stifling of dissent and student rights on campus.

The AUD administration expelled Comrade Nadia, while five other students—including SFI Delhi State Committee member Shefali, along with Shubhjeet, Ajay, Sharanya, and Keerthana—have been placed under prolonged suspension. The committee alleged that these punitive measures were being used to silence demands for a more student-friendly campus.

The statement read:

It seems that the AUD administration considers demanding a student-friendly campus and accessible education to be ‘crimes worthy of the highest punishment.’ What we are seeing in the case of Comrade Nadia’s expulsion, particularly, is just this.

The SFI argued that such incidents were part of a larger trend of repression in Delhi-based universities. “This pattern of student repression mirrors what the past few years have shown us in other Delhi-based campuses like JNU, JMI and DU,” the release noted, adding that governments led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had not hesitated to express “vindictiveness against students.”

Highlighting that protest has historically been integral to the democratic spirit of Indian universities, the student organisation warned that attempts to quash dissent would only invite greater resistance. It further informed that SFI Delhi had already approached the courts of law to challenge what it called the “arbitrary expulsion and suspension” of its activists.

The condemnation came on India’s 79th Independence Day, a date that the SFI said must remind the nation of its founding ideals. A day that calls for the reiteration of our country’s basic ideals; of “democracy, of justice, of liberty,” the committee stated, linking the students’ struggle to broader constitutional values.

The SFI has demanded that the AUD administration revoke Comrade Nadia’s expulsion and initiate a fair and transparent inquiry into the cases. It alleged that due process had not been followed and urged the administration to “see the light of reason and logic.”

AUD has been and shall remain a campus that fosters debate and discussion. If the Administration refuses to ensure this, we shall reclaim what is rightfully ours.

As of now,  AUD authorities have not issued an official response to the allegations or clarified the reasons behind the disciplinary action.

Read Also: SFI terms ABVP a ‘Rapist Organisation;’ Stages a Protest at Arts Faculty, DU

Featured Image Source:  The Week 

Madhav Choudhary 

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

NSUI Launches Protest Demanding DU to Implement 12 Days of Menstrual Leave Per Semester Policy

By

The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) launched a protest on 13th August at the Arts Faculty of Delhi University’s North Campus calling for 12 days of menstrual leave per semester for female students of DU. Using the slogan, ‘From Pain to Power,’ and imprinting nearby walls with red handprints, the protest gained traction from students across the DU circuit.

The demonstration, carrying out a signature campaign in furtherance of their advocacy, was held under police supervision.

“Every signature is a stand for dignity, equality, and the right of female students to rest without stigma,” NSUI had claimed via a post on their official Instagram account.

Varun Choudhary, the nationwide President of NSUI emphasised on menstrual leave as a basic right for every female student, stating that, “We will continue the fight until Delhi University implements this rule, as this provision exists in many universities in India and abroad. NSUI has also fought for this in Panjab University,” he said.

According to the student outfit, menstrual health significantly influences female students’ academic outcomes, mental well-being, and active involvement in campus life. They emphasised that neglecting this concern often leaves students with the difficult choice of missing classes, or they get bound to endure considerable discomfort merely to satisfy attendance criteria, not excluding other curricular commitments that they have.

NSUI urged Delhi University to formulate policies that accommodate female students’ plight in order to make campus more inclusive and gender sensitive. The organisation vowed to continue their efforts to urge educational institutions to implement multi-stakeholder policies. 

Image Credits: NSUI Delhi via Instagram 

Divyanshi Dusad
[email protected]

Also Read: DUSU and Central Council Elections 2025-2026: Official Timeline Announced 

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

Nepali Student’s alleged Suicide Sparks Protests at KIIT; Over 500 Students Forced to Leave the Campus

By

Protests erupted on the campus of Kalinga Institute of Information Technology, Bhubaneswar, after the alleged suicide of a student from Nepal. Following the protests, the university dropped off Nepali students at various railway stations and asked them to return home.

On February 16, 2025, Prakriti Lamsal, a 20-year-old student of Kalinga Institute of Information Technology, Bhubaneswar, hailing from Nepal, was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan of her hostel room after alleged prolonged assault at the hands of a fellow student, now identified as Advik Shrivastava. She is alleged to have taken her own life while being on a video call with the accused. Following the incident, several Nepali students had blocked the road near the campus, alleging that the university took no action after the students reached out to the International Relations Office at the university. Police officials have claimed it to be a self-evident case of suicide, and Advik Shrivastava, the boy who allegedly played a role in the death of the student, has now been detained following his attempted escape from Bhubaneswar through flight.

The student body has alleged that the victim had suffered continuous abuse at the hands of the detained. Her suicide note, which is now missing, and her phone, now in the custody of the administration, have all important and necessary information regarding it.

As of recently, a video has been circulating on social media featuring the college administration’s response to students from Nepal and their requests for a formal investigation to be launched, with one of the phrases used being, “Pack your bags and leave.”

Source: X 


The KIIT management has passed an official order calling for hostels to restrict the movement of students with immediate effect, and students of Nepalese origin have been threatened and beaten into vacating the college premises after having met with hostilities following direct relation to the case. their protests. A notice issued by college authorities read:

The university is closed for all international students from Nepal. They are hereby directed to vacate the university campus today, February 17.

According to reports, on Monday, over 500 Nepali students were asked to board buses, dropped at various railway stations and requested to head home.

Further sources claim that students were allegedly forced to vacate the college campus.

No train tickets or any directions have been provided to us. We were just loaded up on the hostel buses, sent to Cuttack railway station, and ordered to leave for our homes at the earliest. The staff members entered the hostel, made us vacate, and even hit those who were not vacating quickly,” claimed a student from Nepal.

Many anonymous sources have gone on to claim that this was not an incident in isolation, and similar cases of racial discrimination against international students, as well as student suicides and gendered violence, have occurred and have subsequently been brushed under the rug by concerned authorities of the college.

 

Read Also: Jamia Millia Islamia administration cracks down student-led protests; imposes arbitrary disciplinary proceedings


Featured Image Source: Times Now

Aastha Singh

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

Bangladesh’s student protests intensify: dissent and radio silence persist

By

Protests against the freedom fighter quota, having been sparked since the High Court judgement which declared the annulment of the 30 per cent quota illegal earlier this month, escalated on Sunday night. The government has declared a nation-wide curfew, the internet has been cut-off and the casualties stand at 105 currently. Professors at several universities across Bangladesh, mobilising the student protest groups, have called for fresh protests. 

 

Up until 2018, the quotas maintained by the Bangladeshi government for its civil service jobs included the infamous freedom fighter quota, standing at 30 per cent. This quota reserved the seats of civil service posts for the children and grandchildren of the freedom fighters of the nation. Coupled with the other quotas, only 46 per cent of the jobs were left that could be contested on the basis of merit. In 2018, protests against the quotas rose and were subsequently quelled promptly by the government, which later decided to scrap all quotas, except the quota reserving seats for the freedom fighters’ posterity. A verdict regarding this was passed on July 7 by the High Court which declared the move as illegal. 

In Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s address on July 14 to the protesting students, she has been recorded saying, “Why are the freedom fighters so resented by them? If the grandchildren of freedom fighters do not get jobs, do they encourage the razakars to get them? This is what I ask the nation.” The term razakar, a pejorative euphemism denoting conspirators against the nation during the Bangladeshi Liberation Movement of 1971, struck a grisly chord with the students who interpreted her address as an oblique comparison of the student protestors with razakars. They organised rallies, chanting “Tumi ke, ami ke, razakar, razakar” (Who are you, who am I, razakar, razakar), allegedly mocking the PM’s address. 

The Bangladesh Chhatra League (Bangladesh Student League), the youth wing of the ruling party, alongside the police, attacked the protestors on July 5,  leading to a bloodbath in public and private universities across the country. The government has announced its decision to deploy military forces, to curb the protests. No communication has been received from the ground on account of the nation-wide internet shut down. 105 people have died in midst of the protests and over 2500 have been injured so far. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the primary opposition party, has joined hands with the protestors and claims to support their cause. On Friday, the police launched tear gas on the BNP protesters and arrested the party leader, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The Indian Railways has cancelled trains to Bangladesh. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson,  Randhir Jaiswal claims that around 15,000 Indians including 8,500 students, are residing there. He further reports that they are all safe. Of the aforestated number, 450 students have been evacuated so far and returned via Agartala. Imtiaz Ahmed, former professor of Dhaka University’s political science department opines, “Hasina should have called for conference with the students instead of unleashing her trigger-happy police if she wanted to handle the situation better.”

As the country continues to grapple with intense protests and student casualties keep mounting, a burgeoning consensus against Hasina’s government condemns her methods – for being “autocratic”. “The public, alongside the cumulative effect of Hasina’s four-term anti-incumbency, also resents her autocratic way of handling dissent,” remarks former Bangladeshi diplomat and president of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, Humayun Kabir.

Read Also : University of Delhi’s Postgraduate Fee Hike Under Fire: Protests Erupt

Featured Image Credits : Cubangla Instagram Page

Aayudh Pramanik 

[email protected]

Shikhar Pathak

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Campus Central

Heavy Rainfall Exposes Infrastructure Failures in Premier Institutes

By

Recent heavy rainfall in the capital on June 28 has exposed severe infrastructural issues, particularly at the Arts Faculty, where the reading room experienced significant water leakages and short circuits. Additionally, other esteemed educational institutes like IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi are also witnessing an equally miserable fate.

As Delhi University continues its yearly ritual of exorbitant fee hikes—110% in PhD courses and 40% in annual postgraduate courses—it is important to note that the condition in which DU students have to study remains deplorable. These problems clearly reflect the university’s incompetence and disregard for student safety.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) DU’s Instagram page, @sfiduspeaks, posted a reel highlighting the miserable state of one of India’s premier institutions. Captioned “Save Public Education! Save Delhi University! Fee Must Fall!”, the post called for immediate action from the university to address these infrastructural issues. SFI Vijay Nagar has also demanded urgent measures to fix these problems and ensure student safety, noting that the lack of basic amenities like air conditioning in classrooms becomes unbearable when temperatures in Delhi soar to 48 degrees Celsius. The third building, made with makeshift materials like tin roofs and asbestos-lined walls, exacerbates the heat issue, creating an uninhabitable learning environment.

Simran, from SFI DU, in a conversation with DU Beat, said, “Since there is no maintenance in these reading rooms at Arts Faculty, due to heavy rain, the ceiling started to leak and then a short circuit happened, and soon fire also occurred out of nowhere. The main problem is that despite increasing fees they are not improving infrastructure and maintenance at all.”

Additionally, a press release by SFI Delhi University, dated June 27, 2024, highlighted student protests against the fee hikes in postgraduate courses. Students criticized the apathetic Delhi University administration and the ABVP-led Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) for their silence on the rising education costs. It showcased how fee hikes place a heavy financial burden on students, undermining the principles of publicly funded education and limiting opportunities. Despite the fee hikes in previous academic years, there has been no corresponding improvement in infrastructure. Students of the well-known Law Faculty often find their campus without even a single functioning water cooler, all while bearing Delhi’s scorching heat.

In addition to Delhi University, other premier institutes in Delhi have also been severely affected by the heavy rainfall. AIIMS Delhi experienced similar issues with severe water leakage on June 28, highlighting the widespread infrastructural problems across top educational institutions in the city.

At IIT Delhi, a viral video showed a pillar collapsing in the placement cell building following the heavy rainfall. This incident led to the disconnection of electricity in some areas for safety reasons. An official email from the Institute Engineer detailed the flooding on campus and stated that maintenance teams are working to restore services. The email requested cooperation from the campus community and apologized for the inconvenience.

These incidents at Delhi University, AIIMS Delhi, and IIT Delhi highlight the urgent need for infrastructural changes and better maintenance protocols, it’s indeed high time that these educational institutes make upgrades to ensure the safety and well-being of their student body, who have come from faraway places in the country to study in “premier institutes” in the capital. Despite significant fee hikes, these institutions have failed to invest adequately in their infrastructure, leading to dangerous and unacceptable learning conditions. As students and stakeholders wonder, “Where is our money going?”, they are now demanding accountability and immediate improvements to their educational environments.

Featured image credits: Devesh for DU Beat

Read Also: TISS Dismisses and Reinstates Staff Following Funding Assurance from TATA Education Trust

Kavya Vashisht

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Features

Sugarcoated Nightmares: Pepsi’s “Special Treatment” for Women in Maharashtra

By

In the heart of Maharashtra’s sugarcane fields, a sinister reality unfolds as women laboring
for giants like Pepsi and Coca-Cola face exploitation through forced hysterectomies,
overshadowed by corporate profits.

About a third of the sugar produced in India, the second-largest producer in the world, comes
from the state of Maharashtra alone. Maharashtra is a key supplier of sugar to global
corporations such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Mondelez, the parent company of Cadbury. The state
prides itself on the sprawling 1.487 million hectares of lush sugar cane fields with about
203 crushing factories producing 138 lakh metric tons of sugar every year becoming the
state’s major support system. One such district is Beed, although this one in particular is one
that the state shouldn’t be proud of.

This picturesque field of Maharashtra hides a darker reality – the exploitation of women at the
hands of sugar-producing companies. While these companies reap immense profits from the
sweet harvest, the women toiling in the fields are left to endure the bitter impacts on their
health. The issue dates back almost 30 years, when the New York Times interviewed some of
the women working in the fields to find out that the vicious cycle starts with underage girls
getting married off to the men working in the field which ropes them into a contract that seems more like lifelong slavery than wedlock. The men and women are expected to work alike at the same potential for 16-hour-long shifts every day without breaks. Tampons and pads are expensive and hard to find, and without access to running water, women address their periods in the fields with reused cloth that they try to wash by hand. The fields are located in remote locations, and it’s a whole other world in itself with workers
living under tarps, and companies seeking forced hysterectomies as a way to combat the issue of
lack of washrooms on the field.

One local government report surveyed approximately 82,000 female sugarcane workers from
Beed and found that about one in five had had hysterectomies. A separate, smaller
government survey estimated the figure at one in three. Women, already marginalized and
disadvantaged, are coerced into undergoing these surgeries under the guise of ‘health
benefits’ or as a means to prevent pregnancy or period leaves from work. This reprehensible
practice not only robs women of their bodily autonomy but also perpetuates a cycle of
systematic abuse and inequality. The issue at hand unveils a centuries-old taboo enveloping
menstruation, casting a shadow of “unsanitary” perceptions upon women during their natural
cycle. This mindset, steeped in misconception and bias, tragically manifests in the coercion of
women into undergoing hysterectomies, all in the name of the illusion of “cleanliness” on the
fields.

According to the New York Times, sugar producers and buyers have known about this abusive system for years. Coca-Cola’s consultants, for example, visited the fields and sugar mills of western India and, in 2019, reported that children were cutting sugar cane and laborers were working to repay their employers. They documented this in a report for the company, complete with an interview with a 10-year-old girl. In an unrelated corporate report that year, the company said it supported a program to “gradually reduce child labor” in India possibly referring to their plans to increase hysterectomies. This Great Indian exploitation game is nothing less of a spectacle, when women working in these harsh conditions visit the nearby gynecologists with problems like forming of cysts and irregular periods, the doctors take advantage of their patients’ illiteracy and are given an ultimatum that “hysterectomy” is their only option. The whole process is orchestrated not only by the companies but also many health practitioners from the district. These major companies even have moral codes of conduct for their workers which they evidently throw out the window in a bid to make corporate profits. After facing backlash and solely because people threatened to boycott the brand, Pepsi released the most generic statement expressing their grief over the issue while Coca-Cola still hasn’t issued a statement and continues to live in ignorance.

Of the many stories that flood the Indian news channels, none have ever made reports on this
issue, it’s as if they would rather turn a deaf ear than face the truth. In conversations with
reporters from The Fuller Project, as the workers gave them a peek inside their lives, they
sang folk songs which were inspired by Bhimrao Ambedkar in unison and had only thing to
ask everyone who visits the field, a promise; that one day the world will know their plight.

Featured Image Credits: The Fuller Project

Read Also: Feminism: A Belief or a Tagline?

Saanvi Manchanda
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
News

Delhi University’s Swift Response to Sexual Harassment Allegations Garners Campus Solidarity

By

In a swift response, Delhi University takes action against a staff member accused of sexual harassment, reflecting a commitment to student welfare. As students rally for justice at the Central Institute of Education, officials ensure a thorough investigation by the Internal Complaints Committee, prioritizing safety and transparency.

The University of Delhi’s Establishment Branch has terminated the employment of a non-teaching staff member who was allegedly involved in the sexual harassment of a student at the Central Institute of Education (CIE) earlier this month. The incident occurred in the Department of Education’s new building, per the student’s official complaint with the Head and Dean of CIE. The defendant is alleged to have engaged in several inappropriate behaviors, such as unwanted approaches, invasive personal inquiries, and acts that created a great deal of discomfort and fear for the student’s safety.

The student has asked for her peers’ support, expressing how the encounter violated and deeply distressed her. She also expressed fear for her safety because the harasser was walking around the department unhindered. Students came together to plan a demonstration at CIE on Wednesday to support the student’s right to justice.

The Indian Express was notified by Pankaj Arora, Head and Dean of CIE, that the Internal Complaints Committee was notified of the student’s complaint as soon as it was received on Monday. The accused, who worked for the company under a contract, was let go early on Wednesday.

We have engaged in extensive discussions with the students and have assured them that the university’s ICC will handle the matter with care.” Arora said in response to the protest.

While the ICC investigates the case, questions remain about the student’s ongoing safety and the support system available. Did the University offer counselling services or connect her with external support groups specializing in trauma recovery? Transparency regarding the ICC process would also be beneficial. What are the expected timelines for the investigation? Are there resources readily available to explain the process to students involved in such cases?

The case is presently under review by the ICC, and until the process concludes, it would be challenging to disclose specific details of the proceedings.” said DU Proctor Rajni Abbi.

The Students’ Union or other student committees at CIE likely played a crucial role in supporting the student and organizing the protest. Including a statement from a student representative would amplify the students’ voice and highlight the collective stand against harassment. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the prevalence of sexual harassment in educational settings. By creating a culture of support, ensuring a fair and transparent investigation process, and implementing robust prevention programs, universities can foster safe learning environments where every student feels empowered and respected.

Read Also: Where are you ICC: Looking at DU’s History of Sexual Harassment 

Featured Image Credits: India TV News

Divya Malhotra

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By