New Delhi: After the row over the alleged vandalisation of the posters of B.R. Ambedkar and other Dalit icons on campus, the Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) has formed a panel to look into the allegations brought to its notice by a group of students.
There were reports that a student was asked to meet the panel headed by the proctor regarding the incident that allegedly took place 14 April — Ambedkar Jayanti — at the Kashmiri Gate campus of AUD.
The AUD’s public relations officer has said that the student concerned had been barred from entering the campus until the inquiry is complete.
In a statement Sunday, the Ambedkarite Students Forum (ASF) had claimed that the administration “repeatedly tried to disrupt its programme” with the help of security guards while they were celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti on the campus.
It had also alleged that the posters of Ambedkar, Savitribai and Jyotiba Phule, Periyar were “removed, torn apart and thrown in the dustbin”.
On Monday, the forum held a protest as it claimed that meetings with AUD registrar and proctor yielded no response regarding the incident that came to light after an essay-writing competition, a pictorial biography exhibition, an anti-caste exhibition, and other activities were held.
The Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA), which was formed in November 2014 on Birsa Munda Jayanti and is active in Jawaharlal Nehru University, has extended its support to the ASF.
In a statement Monday, the BAPSA mentioned “two despicable incidents” that happened on the university campus.
“In one incident, the posters having pictures of our Bahujan icons had been torn down and thrown into the dustbin by unknown persons. Cowards who don’t have enough courage to face the ideas of our icons, have always engaged in activities such as vandalising their portraits, breaking their statues and tearing their images,” the BAPSA said.
“Another incident is a biased act of removing the posters by security personnel from the notice board.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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