After Delhi University identified and punished eight students for trying to show the BBC documentary on the Gujarat riots, hopes of becoming a professor, a government official, or a politician are now in jeopardy.
Students’ organizations like the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and the Bhim Army Student Federation (BASF) organized the showing on January 27. The Delhi Police detained a few of the students on the spot, and the institution obtained their information from the FIR.
Two students, Lokesh Chugh and Ravinder Singh, were suspended from DU for a year as a result of the investigation’s findings. Sneha Sarahshaji, Anshul Yadav, Dinesh Kumar, Mishab, and Ashutosh were also recommended for punishment, though the committee did not define what that punishment should be.
DU V-C According to Yogesh Singh, the six students’ punishment on Tuesday was to compose a letter to the administration apologizing and promising not to repeat the offense.
They and their guardians were then sent the aforementioned notices, along with a request to appear in the proctor’s office.
“I come from a lower middle class family, so the only college education I can afford is at DU because private institutions are too costly. Anshul, who recently completed his Master’s in Sanskrit from Kirori Mal College, said: “I persuaded my family by saying that DU could offer me a bright future.
He is a member of the NSUI, the Congress’s student branch, and serves as vice-president of KMC. He wants to provide a better living for his family and become a professor one day.
Anshul, 24, is a cultivator from Etawah in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. He received first division in both his undergraduate and graduate studies, and he is presently getting ready to apply to DU for his PhD.
“My family received a note about this whole situation, which alarmed them. However, they were unable to travel to Delhi when they were requested to visit the proctor’s office. I’ve already written a letter outlining everything to the administration, and I’m waiting on their answer in the hopes that my Master’s degree won’t be delayed,” Anshul said.
Dinesh, a 21-year-old KMC first-year Master’s student who also serves as the organization’s general officer, is also in danger. “When they learned that a case had been filed against me, my folks became frightened. They don’t comprehend much and are less literate. I gave them confidence that I will handle matters here,” he said.
He originates from a farming family and is a native of Rajasthan’s Jalore district. He claimed to be the best student at his school and the first person from his village to attend college in Delhi. Dinesh aspires to work in politics and influence social development.
For a year, Lokesh and Ravinder, from the departments of philosophy and anthropology, respectively, are prohibited from taking part in any university events.
“When my parents learned about this, they became concerned for my prospects. My family has high hopes for their son to receive a PhD from DU, and I am the first person in my entire family to achieve this level of study. Their vitality levels have decreased ever since this news broke,” said Lokesh, a PhD student, 30.
He was raised in Delhi and hails from a family of entrepreneurs. Although his aspiration is to work in academia, he has always had a strong interest in politics. He has been affiliated with the organization for 12 years and is presently the national secretary.
“Even though I wasn’t involved in the viewing, I think it’s fine to welcome someone’s viewpoint that differs from our own. Yesterday, I reapplied to the institution, and I’m concerned that two years might be lost. I’m waiting to hear back,” he said.
24-year-old Ganganagar native Ravinder is a first-year Philosophy student and a member of the Bhagat Singh Chatr Ekta Manch. (BSCEM). He is from a farming household and was studying law before changing to philosophy. His goal is to work in politics.
I didn’t want my family to worry, so I waited to inform them that I had been rejected from the institution. BSCEM is a separate entity that is not connected to any political group. Only on the day of the demonstration did we come forward to voice our opposition with other parties, he claimed.
Mishab, a 22-year-old Kerala native enrolled in his second year of a Master’s program in history, expressed his desire to work for the government one day. Although he claims he did not take part in the screening, he is also under DU’s scrutiny. He states, “I had nothing to do with the demonstration, I was detained by police just because I was passing by the premises. The institution issued me a light penalty. My family and I have received notices, and I have responded in writing to the management. I am currently expecting their response.
Sneha, 23, is from Kerala, just completed her Master’s degree in political science at DU, and she is connected to the NSUI. She comes from a business household and is currently preparing for her PhD. She wants to write a thesis on a topic related to public administration. “My folks were very concerned after receiving a letter from the administration. They were required to appear in the proctor’s office in person within 15 days, but they were unable to journey to Delhi at such short notice, she claimed.
She claimed to have sent a letter to the management stating, “I have not yet received my Master’s certificate, but I am concerned that I may not. I have no idea what will occur next. My goal was to attend a central university like the one in Delhi, but the experience has been bittersweet for me.
According to Ashutosh, a member of the BASF team, he has no plans to send the administration a letter of apology. “In my opinion, we did nothing improper. I won’t apologize, but I will respond to the management as they have requested. We want to save the campus, and my family is with me in that goal, said Ashutosh, a Satyawati College final-year Commerce student from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, who comes from an agricultural household. He aspires to practice law.
Shashi Tharoor, a congressman from the Congress and a graduate of Delhi University, tweeted in response: “As a @Delhiuniversit alum committed to academic freedom & independence of thought, I am appalled by this shocking move. It is disgraceful and a betrayal of everything a university should stand for to suspend a student for two years for viewing a documentary in a democracy. Shame!”
