The Standpoint

MASS HUNGER STRIKE AT DU

By

Kalpana Gupta

The wave of fee hike in the University of Delhi resulted in a 48-hour mass hunger strike at the Arts Faculty, North Campus (Delhi University) on from Oct 27-29th last month. The Protest March began at 11A.M. on 27th October from the Vivekanand Statue while marching towards various colleges from St. Stephens to Miranda House.

The notification proposing the hike by the administration of the University of Delhi dropped in on 19th September 2009 and it was after that the fee hike took place. The Vice-Chancellor , Mr. Deepak Pental, Professor of Genetics, however, supported the decision by showing his sincerity towards the circular given by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development.

There were 70-80 students who participated in the Hunger strike from all the DU colleges including students from Delhi University, South Campus. Hundreds of students took to roads and participated in the protest against the fee hike. Sunny, an activist and the Vice-President of All India Students Association said, “The recent circular from the M.H.R.D is yet another assault on the student’s rights and the very idea of an affordable and quality education.”

The agitated students shouted slogans and effigies were made against the Government in the ruling. “We are supported by the teachers alike as Education is our fundamental right and we would not let monetary issues come in between”, said a student shouting slogans against the administration.

The students started their Protest March from the Arts Faculty of Delhi University and voiced their demands right in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office. It was after their visit to all the colleges of North Campus that they came back to the Arts Faculty and sat on a 48-hour hunger strike. Where the charge of submitting late fee increased from Rs. 5/- to Rs. 25/- per day , on the other hand, the students will now have to pay a sum of Rs. 500/- instead of Rs. 200/- for revaluation of one paper.

The students demanded the roll back of the hike in examination fees and increased utility charges in addition to the refunding of the extra money which has been charged from the students on the basis of the circular that favour the non-liberal agenda of commercialisation of education. Gurmeet Singh, the Proctor of Delhi University, didn’t give any assurance to the students and agreed for a meeting only after the hunger strike was called off.

The Vice-president, A.I.S.A, added “..As of now we have written to the Vice Chancellor of the University asking him to re-think and roll back the decision. If that doesn’t work out, we will think of the Protest on a much larger scale which would include other universities such as Jamia Millia Islamia and J.N.U as well”.

It is, therefore, unpredictable to imagine the reactions of the students on the upcoming student’s bus-pass hike which is reportedly observing a whopping increase from Rs. 12.50/- to Rs. 100/- per month.