DU's Hindu College suspends over 25 students for protests, 15 for 'financial fraud' during fest

NEW DELHI: Delhi University’s Hindu College has suspended 25 students for staging protests last month over a cultural fest and 15 more for alleged fraud during the Mecca'23, students alleged on Wednesday. At least two more students were served notices for both, their alleged involvement in protest as well as financial fraud, multiple students have confirmed.

Anju Srivastava, the college principal, did not respond to calls from PTI seeking a response. "We were told by the college official that 42 students have been served notice. But we are in contact with at least 30 students. The notices for both kinds of offences mention suspension, fine and the student will be barred from taking any post," said a student who has been served notice for holding a protest.

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The college hosted its annual fest named ‘Mecca’ on April 27 and 28. Around 25 students have been given notice for "gross misconduct and extremely inappropriate behaviour" during the protest. In addition to that 15 students have been served notice regarding "financial fraud or cheating" during the two-day event. Sanjay Godra (18) who is a second-year student claimed that he has been served both notices.

"I was not part of the organising committee. I was only protesting against the administration over the MEECA'23. I have no idea why I have been served both the notices," he said. Students have alleged that there was no disciplinary committee involved, adding that no investigation was carried out before taking action.

"They have imposed a Rs 10,000 penalty on us. Tell me how will students pay? This is a black law. The college did not conduct any kind of investigation," Godra alleged. Besides facing suspension, students will have to pay the fine of Rs 10,000 by May 12, the notices accessed by PTI stated. Around 100 students gathered to protest on the campus after the administration allegedly asked them to cut short the three-day cultural fest to one on April 21.

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Some of the students followed the principal to her car when she was trying to leave for an event. "We have been told that only those students who followed the principal have been served notices. But I was not there. Moreover, several students who were not even part of the protest have been served notices," said another student. Those served notices for protests, allegedly blocked the principal's way when she was going to attend a meeting at the university, their notices mentioned.

"You were a part of the mob that clung to the college gate(s) to prevent it from opening. With great difficulty, when the Principal managed to exit from a resident's gate and wanted to sit in the car, you again blocked the movement of the ear by standing or lying in its way. When the Principal chose to walk down to reach the meeting venue in time, you shouted humiliating slogans," the notice read.

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The strongly-worded notice asserted the "gross misconduct and extremely inappropriate" behaviour has brought "acute embarrassment and humiliation to the college, in general, and to the Principal". It claimed that the college property has been damaged by your activity. The other notice that has been served for financial fraud mentions that a large group of stall vendors took out a protest in front of the Principal's office, alleging "financial fraud or cheating done on them by the student organisers of the two-day event".

"The agitating group of vendors demanded a refund of their investment and threatened the college with stalling the mega Programme of Star Night if the authorities did not do the refund," the notice mentioned. "After much persuasion, you have now refunded some of the amounts, however, your activities of omission and commission cannot be condoned," it added.

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Meanwhile, RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has requested the college to withdraw these notices. "The ABVP delegation has given a memorandum to the Hindu principal demanding that the decision to suspend and impose a monetary penalty on the students involved in the democratic protest be withdrawn," ABVP said. Democratic protest and proper demand by students is not a crime, the student organisation added.