‘CHALO EFLU’ on 12th May Against the Administrative highhanded decision to rusticate three students for participating in students’ Movement
AISA strongly condemns the rustication of three student leaders of the English and Foreign Languages university (EFLU) for participating in a democratic protest demanding better library facilities. Mohan Dharavath (President of Dalit Adivasi Bahujan Minority Students Union) and Satheesh Nainala (general secretary of Telangana Students Association, EFLU), Subhash Kumar (AISA member and Prominent Student Activist of EFLU) have been rusticated by the university administration for two years without any probe, ostensibly for participating in a protest called by the EFLU Students’ Union. To rusticate these students who were part of a huge and collective protest called by the students’ union is bizarre, illogical and completely unacceptable. The student union’s protest has been deemed ‘illegal’ and show cause notices as well a police cases have been filed against the protesting students. It is shameful that a protracted protest for a basic students’ demand is being subjected to such a draconian and autocratic crackdown – clearly aimed at clamming down all dissenting voices and closing democratic spaces and options.
Moreover, it needs to be noted that this rustication is just the latest in a series of draconian and undemocratic moves, on the part of the autocratic EFLU administration. To begin with, students of EFLU found it necessary to launch a protracted protest because the 24×7 reading room had been closed down. One of the veiled reasons for this closing down of reading room was an attempt at gender segregation – since the reading room remained one of the few academic spaces in the university where men and women could interact and study together. In a move that smacks of moral policing, the administration claimed that students were “misusing” the reading room. Also, time and again, the administration has simply refused to address students’ genuine concerns, instead often calling in the police to deal with the students.
Such attempts of university administrations to stifle all dissenting voices are becoming increasingly common, and have to be unitedly resisted. In the Delhi University for instance, a series of anti-student policy decisions are being taken, running roughshod over dissent from students and teachers alike. Over the past few years, in DU, we have seen the semester system as well as the FYUP programme being introduced even as protests continue. And across campuses, administrations refuse to listen to genuine demands for hostels, library facilities and more democratic policies in university spaces. AISA stands in complete solidarity with the students of EFLU in their struggle against the EFLU administration’s draconian moves. We join the EFLU students in their demand for immediate withdrawal of the rustication orders, handed out to Mohan Dharavath and Satish. Such shrinking of democratic spaces within university campuses cannot be allowed.
Various organizations have jointly called for a “EFLU CHALO” march, on 12 th May against this administrative high-handedness. AISA appeals to the student community to join this March in large numbers to demand withdrawal of rustication and removal of Vice Chancellor of Eflu.
