DUSU locked out by DU

Student union office sealed, Varsity groups protest

The Delhi University administration has  sealed the students union office after two incidents of vandalism and assault by a Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) member over the four-year undergraduate programme.

Now various teachers and students group have hit back alleging that the administration is acting in an authoritarian manner. 

Early this week, DUSU joint secretary Raju Rawat had smeared shoe polish on the face of South Campus director Umesh Rai after he had allegedly passed inflammatory remarks on the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi. The two were having a discussion on the controversial four-year undergraduate programme.

The university had removed Rawat from his post as the joint secretary of DUSU and initiated action against him and his accomplices.

The angry members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (AVBP), to which Rawat owes affiliation, have vowed to carry out protests against the DU administration for refusing to open the students’ union office. AVBP's national secretary Rohit Chahal said it is an attempt to subdue the voice against the four-year programme.
The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) also chose to condemn the university’s decision to seal the DUSU office.

“Instead of instituting a proper disciplinary process against the individuals involved, the DU administration has used this unfortunate incident as a pretext to attack the institution of the DUSU, the elected body of students,” said DUTA president Nandita Narain.

She said that by not allowing a healthy debate on the programme, the university has given way to a ‘culture of violence’.

Meanwhile, there is also a growing demand for action against the accused students. A group of teachers on Wednesday carried out a protest march from the Geology Department to the VC office. The DU registrar, Alka Sharma said the attack against Rai is being investigated.

The university administration has also registered a complaint against the students under IT Act as ABVP activist had uploaded a video of the vandalism on the social media.

The Nation Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has also joined the protest demanding action against the accused ABVP members.

“We have not opposed the sealing of DUSU office. The university had offered to open our offices. We first want action against Rawat,” said DUSU secretary Karishma Thakur who is from NSUI.

However, DUTA alleges inconsistency in dealing with acts of violence.

“Last year a Law professor was slapped by the then DUSU President, but no action was taken against him even as the victim lodged a police complaint and demanded an inquiry,” said Narain.