Ambedkar University student fined for 'derogatory' remarks against Delhi CM

NEW DELHI: A final year student of Ambedkar University here has been fined Rs 5,000 for allegedly posting "distasteful remarks" online against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during the annual convocation held in December last year.

The university's convocation was held on December 23 last year with Kejriwal as the chief guest. In a statement, the university said people had joined its ninth convocation on YouTube.

During the programme, the student started disrupting it using the YouTube chat room, it said. "The comments made by the student were derogatory/slur/distasteful.

The convocation is the most auspicious programme in the academic cycle of any student. The conduct... was unbecoming of a student and was against the values for which Dr B R Ambedkar University stands.

"The action was taken as the conduct of the student was in violation of the code of discipline prescribed and notified for the students of AUD," the statement said. The Left-backed All India Students' Association (AISA) said the student has been fined Rs 5,000 for an "online protest against the university's fee hike and discrepancies in the implementation of the reservation policy".

Student penalty

The proctorial board of the university had constituted a sub-committee to look into the matter. An order by the university on June 30 stated the student will be allowed to appear for the exams after compliance with the punishment and that it was "dropping the penalty of suspension" since the student is in her final semester.

"A personal interaction on April 6, 2021, was held between the sub-committee of the Proctorial Board. The student during the interaction admitted to have made the comments and did not feel guilty for making those comments." "The sub-committee resolved that the comments made on the public platform about the university community and chief guest and the guest of honour were baseless and disrespectful and clearly amounts to a deliberate attempt to defame and disrespect the University community," it said.

The AISA said the student, along with others, questioned the university administration and the Delhi government over policies on reservation and high fees. "The AUD administration, through its policy of fee hike and changes in admission procedure for SC/ST/PwD, created a scenario of exclusion for students from marginalised communities. "Despite protests against this exclusionary and discriminatory policy, the administration failed to address the concerns of the students," it alleged.

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