DUTA throws its weight behind students, demands action

Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) on Friday expressed shock and dismay at the brutal violence witnessed against students and teachers at Ramjas College in the North Campus on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Association condemned the attempts of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members to "repeatedly counter ideas with mob violence" and acting as a censor for ideas — which may or may not be accepted keeping in mind its intellectual and cultural base – within the boundaries of the University. DUTA further held the University administration squarely responsible for the unfortunate occurrence.

The Association further criticised the University administration for continuously refusing to take action against the right-wing students group — which had assaulted a teacher at Shri Ram College of Commerce in June 2016, and attacked and harassed the Dean of the Faculty of Law in November and December 2016. "Allowing mobsters and anti-social elements to get away with impunity has emboldened them (ABVP members)," said Nandita Narain, president, DUTA. "Our association's office bearers were themselves at the receiving end of

ABVP's physical aggression in Daulat Ram College in July 2016," she added.

Expressing support to the protesters and teachers, DUTA categorically demanded that the Vice-Chancellor set up an enquiry against the ABVP members for adopting the method of violence and injuring and harassing students and teachers. The Association also demanded to put pressure upon the police to initiate the due process of investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.

The Association further demanded that the Vice-Chancellor issue a public statement guaranteeing that the students and teachers of Delhi University would not be made to feel physically threatened or vulnerable for the ideas that they support and adopt publicly, and that the rule of law would prevail and arbitrate over any contentious issues in the future.

DUTA also expressed solidarity with the Dean of the Faculty of Law and demanded that those responsible for abusing her be punished.