New Delhi: Suspended for allegedly criticising the speech of the vice-chancellor, a student of Dr BR Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) feels the action is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of targeting dissenting voices on campus.
The final-year MA student, who is also an All India Students Association (AISA) member, has been suspended for six months during which she cannot enter the campus.
“This is the first time a student has been suspended for political engagement via the university’s official email chain. AUD has always had a tradition of students critically engaging with administrative decisions, but now, when a Muslim woman raises her voice, she is made a soft target,” the student told ThePrint.
The entire course of action, she added, is a way of setting an example through her. “They (AUD administration) want students to know that this is what can happen to them, if they dare to raise their voice.”
In its show cause notice issued 17 February, the AUD administration cited “indiscipline” and the use of “derogatory and disrespectful language against the Head of the Institution” as reasons for the suspension. She had violated the Student Code of Conduct, the notice added.
The move has sparked widespread protests from various student groups and faculty members, who demanded the revocation of the suspension order.
The student in question had objected to AUD vice-chancellor Anu Singh Lather’s Republic Day address in which she is said to have praised the establishment of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Ambedkar, according to the vice-chancellor, should be seen as a national figure instead of being confined to a Dalit identity.
These remarks were met with criticism from sections of the student community, particularly AISA which issued a statement condemning the speech as “problematic, casteist, and communal”.
While she was summoned before a disciplinary committee (DC) for the second time Wednesday, she had attended the first on 27 February.
“I was informed about the hearing at 6 p.m. on 26 February and was asked to appear before the committee with my parents at 12:30 p.m. the next day. My parents are simple people, and bringing them into this was an attempt to induce panic,” the student said.
As she remains suspended for the full winter semester, the student further said that she would be able to submit her dissertation only with the next batch, effectively delaying her academic progress by a year.
“This decision disrupts my entire academic timeline. It is clearly meant to punish me beyond just these six months,” the final-year MA student said, adding that for now, she was in the process of appealing to the vice-chancellor. “If that fails, we will take our case to the chancellor. And if necessary, I am prepared to fight this in court.”
ThePrint reached vice-chancellor Lather, who directe the call to the public relations officer (PRO) of the University. Later, in a statement shared with ThePrint by the PRO, the University defended its decision, stating that disciplinary actions are taken impartially and in accordance with established procedures.
“Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi upholds a strong commitment to maintaining discipline while ensuring a good academic environment for the students,” the statement said, adding that the University’s Proctorial Board follows a “consistent and impartial” approach when addressing any instances of indiscipline, treating every student equally, regardless of background or circumstances.
It further said that the Board conducts thorough investigations before reaching any conclusions, ensuring that all decisions align with the established rules and regulations. “The university remains committed to upholding discipline while ensuring transparency and fairness in every decision made by the Proctorial Board. Our priority is to create an environment where all students are treated equitably, fostering a culture of responsibility and respect.”
However, when asked questions specifically related to this case, the PRO refused to comment.
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Setting a precedent?
The student recounted past experiences of Islamophobia on campus, including incidents where communal remarks were made in the university’s email chain. ThePrint went through a series of screenshots of some of these emails which dwelled on topics like ‘love jihad’, a Right-wing conspiracy theory alleging that vulnerable Hindu women are being targeted by Muslim men and converted to Islam.
“In the past five years, students have often been warned to not use the language that would cause problems to them but no action has ever really been taken. There is no accountability while communal things continue to happen,” the student said, adding that she previously wrote an email tagging the vice-chancellor and other authorities, attaching multiple screenshots of Islamophobic remarks directed at her, but to no avail.
“On the other hand, when I pointed out casteist and communal elements in the V-C’s speech, I was suspended.”
Faculty members and students have expressed solidarity with the suspended student, as they protested outside the V-C’s office Monday.
At one such protest, Kaustav Banerjee, a professor at the AUD’s School of Global Affairs, condemned the arbitrary nature of the Proctorial Board’s decisions.
The university is not a private estate, it belongs to students and professors, and not to an administration that treats it like a “prison”, he added. “The unjustly suspended student must be brought back. A university is a place where everything should be questioned. But if students are being punished for asking questions, then we are all under attack.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)