The student body vowed to mount strong resistance and urged students and democratic sections of society to join the fight against ‘attack on democracy’ in universities
NEW DELHI — The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has strongly condemned the Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) administration for what it termed “hostile actions” against students and a direct assault on the democratic atmosphere of the campus.
In a statement issued by its Central Executive Committee on Sunday, the left student body alleged that the AUD administration had permanently expelled three SFI activists — Sharanya, the elected treasurer of the students’ union, Shefali, and Shubhojeet. Another activist, Nadia, had earlier been expelled, while two more, Ajay and Keerthana, who graduated this year, were barred from seeking readmission for higher studies.
According to SFI, the crackdown began in February when its campus unit raised the issue of alleged ragging and bullying of a young undergraduate woman by members of the ABVP, which reportedly pushed her into suicidal ideation. The organisation claimed that instead of acting against the accused, the university suspended three SFI activists on the very day the Left-affiliated group swept the students union elections held after six years.
SFI said the expulsions followed an “intentionally prolonged inquiry” by the proctorial board headed by Proctor Satyaketu Sankrit, whom the organisation described as an “RSS frontman,” and Vice-Chancellor Anu Singh Lather. The BJP and RSS-backed administration’s decision, it added, was “extremely disproportionate” and reflective of political bias.
Calling the incident a “blatant attack on student voices,” SFI alleged that such actions had intensified since the BJP came to power in Delhi. “The AUD administration cannot suppress SFI and the student community inside the campus with these hostile actions,” the statement read. The federation vowed to mount strong resistance and urged students and democratic sections of society to join the fight against what it described as an attack on democracy in universities.
The statement was signed by SFI president Adarsh M Saji and general secretary Srijan Bhattacharyya.
