NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and other student organisations staged a protest on Friday demanding arrest of the principal of Delhi University’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh College after a Dalit student alleged that the former hurled casteist slurs and assaulted him after he was falsely accused of sending obscene messages on the official WhatsApp group of his department. The students demanded an FIR against accused Arun Attree.
Mehina Fathima, Joint Secretary of SFI Delhi, criticised the growing discrimination faced by marginalized students in universities. “Universities are becoming alienating spaces for students from marginalized communities, who are subjected to discrimination and denied adequate protections such as reservations, scholarships and mental health support,” she said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Arif Siddiqui, Vice-President of SFI Delhi, said, “We have not forgotten the case of Rohith Vemula and will continue to fight against the reduction of university spaces to mere killing fields.” Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student, died by suicide after facing alleged caste-based discrimination at University of Hyderbad, eight years ago.
The protesters said that they will continue their fight until an FIR is filed in the matter.
Students detained outside CM Atishi’s event
Days after the Dr BR Ambedkar University (AUD) sacked two senior professors, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and AISA came forward to protest against the varsity’s move and express solidarity with the latter on Friday. The protest was in response to the sudden and allegedly unjust termination of professors Salil Mishra and Asmita Kabra by the university administration.
The protestors, carrying placards and raising slogans, were demanding the reinstatement of the terminated faculty members. Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) has removed two professors from service for their alleged involvement in irregularities related to regularisation of non-teaching staff.
However, seven students were detained as they had gathered at the nearby Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW), where Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena was attending a convocation ceremony.
Students demand FIR against accused Arun Attree
The students demanded an FIR against accused Arun Attree. Mehina Fathima, Joint Secretary of SFI Delhi, criticised the growing iscrimination faced by marginalized students in universities