RGNUL incident ‘deeply troubling’; alumni, law universities extend support to protesting students

NEW DELHI: The alumni community of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) and other law universities have extended support to students protesting against the vice-chancellor over the violation of privacy after his visit to girls' hostel. The alumni urged the university administration to take “serious” cognizance of the issue and implement appropriate measures. Amid massive student protests, the university on Monday announced closure till further orders and asked students to go back home.

In a statement, RGNUL alumni expressed their concern over the recent as well as the past incidents wherein the girl students’ capabilities and integrity were questioned by the head of the university. Meanwhile, the student councils of the Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), National Law University and Judicial Academy (NLUJA) expressed solidarity with the NLU Patiala students.

The community noted that on September 22, reports emerged regarding an unannounced visit by the VC Jai Shankar Singh to the women's hostel. This visit occurred without prior notice to either the students or the warden, leading to discomfort among the hostel residents. The VC allegedly made inappropriate remarks about their clothing and personal activities. In one instance, a student was approached while returning from the shower, without giving her enough time to dress up.

The university alumni reiterated that the RGNUL guidelines clearly state that access to the women's hostel is restricted to female members of the RGNUL community, and even parents and family members are not permitted entry. Compounding the issue, the VC was reportedly unaccompanied by any female faculty or security personnel during this visit, raising further concerns about the situation.

RGNUL: Students vs vice-chancellor

This is not the first time that the VC has allegedly made offensive comments about the girl students, the alumni have learned from the affected students. From belittling their academic abilities to demeaning their financial backgrounds, the VC has been insensitive towards students’ sentiments at multiple instances in the past.

“Recent concerns about discouraging students from participating in competitions, pursuing internships, exploring corporate law, and engaging in other co-curricular activities are also deeply troubling,” the statement read.

Stating itself as a respected and well-established network of professionals thriving in various fields of law, such as dispute resolution, legal advisory, corporate law, and the judiciary, the community said that RGNUL alumni have made significant contributions to various legal domains which shows the robustness of the university’s academic environment and existence of co-curricular freedom.

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The VC’s actions pose a risk to the diverse and thriving legacy of RGNUL graduates, it said. “In light of these incidents, we, the RGNUL alumni community, stand in solidarity with the students of RGNUL in their pursuit of their rightful freedoms and espousal of their rights in accordance with law. We urge the RGNUL administration to take serious cognizance of these pressing concerns and implement appropriate remedial measures to address the students' legitimate grievances at the earliest.”

The RGNUL alumni reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of privacy, dignity, and the freedom of every individual to pursue their aspirations without hindrance. It hoped that the university will take all necessary steps to uphold and safeguard these fundamental values.