DU's KMC Students Oppose Politically Motivated Events On Campus

On Tuesday, Apr 9, the left-affiliated All India Students' Association (AISA) protested a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event at Delhi University's Kirori Mal College. Students objected to the college hosting an event by the RSS for the Hindu New Year celebration, citing that political events shouldn't be held on campus. "A while ago, the screening of the film Garam Hawa (1974) was stopped, probably because it showed the plight of a minority group in post-partition India", a student, who preferred anonymity told The Free Press Journal. He pointed towards a growing polarisation in the campus.

"It's not a coincidence that this is happening when the Lok Sabha elections are just around the corner", said Anjali, AISA DU's Secretary, adding, "As students, they often feel they have a duty to attend these events". She noted that the room for dissent within DU campus colleges is dwindling by the day.

Shambhavi Choudhary, an AISA member, fears the constant intervention by political groups on campus and the demands made on students to attend the events. "Colleges have started to surveil what students, and even teachers, post on social media. Students and teachers are asked to unlike posts by college administrations if they find those posts going against the political leaning of the college", Choudhary alleged.

Till the time the article went to press, the FPJ didn't receive any response from Kirori Mal College's principal, Dinesh Khattar, and other faculty members on the questions mailed to them.