New Delhi, May 27 (PTI) A protest by students affiliated with the All India Students’ Association (AISA) against Delhi University’s decision to conduct examinations on Eid-ul-Azha turned tense on Wednesday, students alleged.
Demonstrators claimed that security personnel manhandled and assaulted them outside the university’s examination branch while raising demands for the rescheduling of the examinations. AISA-DU said hundreds of security guards were deployed at the examination branch premises, and protesters were “dragged, manhandled and beaten”.
Meanwhile, DU proctor Manoj Kumar Singh denied allegations of a scuffle between students and security personnel. “They (students) were trying to enter the building, so they were just asked to leave. The university’s decision remains the same; the exams scheduled for Thursday (May 28) will be held as scheduled,” Singh said.
On Tuesday, however, DU informed the Delhi High Court that Muslim students or any other student can email the Dean of the Law Faculty, and their exam will be held after July 4 instead of on May 28.
“While the Delhi High Court order passed yesterday granted relief to students of the Faculty of Law, thousands of students across Delhi University are still scheduled to appear for examinations on Eid-ul-Azha, declared a gazetted holiday,” AISA said in a statement.
Speaking at the protest, AISA-DU vice president Ananya alleged that students demanding “dignity and sensitivity” on a gazetted holiday were met with violence.
“We will continue our protest until our demands are met,” she said.
Following the protest, a delegation of students met the DU Proctor and sought immediate intervention on the issue, but to no avail, the students said.
The controversy erupted after the university issued an office memorandum earlier this week announcing that all offices, faculties, departments, colleges and institutions of the university would remain closed on May 28 for Eid-ul-Azha, while clarifying that examinations would continue as scheduled.
The move drew criticism from sections of teachers and students, who argued that conducting examinations on a festival would inconvenience students, teachers and staff observing Eid-ul-Azha.
Several members of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) wrote to Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh requesting that the examinations scheduled for May 28 be postponed. PTI AHD ASD ASD
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