Press Release: 20 January 2014

The third day of Cluster Dharnas against FYUP witnessed an impressive participation of teachers and students at various points in Central Delhi and South Campus. Over 500 teachers and students from Jesus and Mary College, DCAC and Maitreyi College observed the Dharna outside Maitreyi College gates. Spirited slogans against FYUP and the dictatorial functioning of the University Vice Chancellor were raised – ” FYUP jayega, tabhi mazaa ayega”, “Four Year, DU chodo” to songs like “Jaise India ko le doobe minister, humko le dooba yeh semester”. The large turn out and colourful slogans attracted many passers-by and led to the slowing down of traffic! DUTA office bearers and elected representatives of the Academic and Executive Councils of the University also addressed the gathering.

At another point, outside Motilal Nehru College (South Campus), a comparable number of teachers and students from Motilal Nehru Colleges (Morning and Evening), Sri Venkateswara College, ARSD College and Ram Lal Anand College (Morning and Evening) observed their Dharna. Central Delhi colleges like Lady Irwin College, Mata Sundri College, Dyal Singh College (Morning) and Zakir Husain Delhi College (Morning and Evening) were forced to observe their Dharnas in the respective colleges as the venue for the cluster, i.e. Safdar Hasmi Marg (Mandi House) had to be cancelled in the last minute on account of Section 144 being imposed in the area. Yet, a large number of teachers and students were mobilized for these Dharnas.

Through these Dharnas the DUTA is seeking to build up the intensity for a University-wide Joint Action of students, teachers and karamcharis. Tomorrow, the North Campus colleges will observe two dharnas outside Arts Faculty and the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station while SGND Khalsa College, Deen Dayal Upadhyay College, Janki Devi Memorial College and Kalindi College will observe their Cluster Dharna at the Shankar Road-Pusa Road Crossing.

While the DUTA has also been raising the related issues of rigged teaching-appointments and faulty implementation of the Reservations Roster, the VC has announced an emergency meeting of the University’s Executive Council for tomorrow, wherein he will seek to bypass the EC and authorize all appointments himself. This move to divest the EC of its sanctity and power to authorize appointments and arrogate all such power unto himself offers the latest example of his diabolical disregard for the relevance and purpose of all rules and regulations that may allow a public institution like DU to function with a modicum of democracy, transparency and public accountability. The DUTA condemns this move and warns the VC that such brazen acts of tyranny will lead to mayhem and anarchy in this troubled University.