‘Precautionary step’ or ‘Fascist clampdown’? Confrontation with YouTuber leads to a protest ban at DU |
On February 17, Delhi University issued an order banning any protests on campus for the next one month. This came after a confrontation between YouTuber Ruchi Tiwari and All India Students Association (AISA) members on February 13, resulting in cross FIRs being registered at Maurice Nagar police station.
According to the order signed by the DU proctor, “public meetings, processions, demonstrations, and protests of any kind are strictly prohibited within the University Campus for a period of one month.” The university administration justified the measure by citing concerns over potential unrest:
“This order is issued in view of information received indicating that unrestricted public gatherings, processions, or demonstrations on campus may lead to obstruction of traffic, threats to human life, and disturbance of public peace. In the past, organisers have often failed to control such protests, which have escalated and spread widely, resulting in deterioration of law and order within the University campuses.”
The university’s directive is reinforced by a separate order from the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Civil Lines, effectively authorising the Delhi Police to enforce the campus-wide protest ban for the next one month.
Speaking to Newslaundry, DU Proctor Manoj Kumar Singh said, “The events that transpired on February 13 regarding the UGC Regulations – we do not want a repeat of such events. This is a precautionary step we have taken to maintain law and order in the university.”
Adding that caste has become a flashpoint on campuses, Singh said, “We do not want to do anything regarding that since this is an educational institute.”
But what exactly led to this ban?
In its 104-year history, Delhi University organised its first literature festival from February 12-14 with ‘Nation First: University in Diversity’ as its theme.
Claiming the festival to be “a mouthpiece for regressive propaganda and communal rhetoric,” the All India Students’ Association (AISA) organised a ‘People’s Literature Festival – Samta Utsav’ as an alternative outside the Arts Faculty in DU.
This was met by miscreants, allegedly members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who threw a bucket of........