Student organisations at the Delhi University (DU) have expressed concern over the University’s recent order warning of strict action against those defacing the campus walls. They said that the new norms can be "misused" by miscreants by planting fake posters to implicate others.
In a notification issued on Thursday, June 30, DU Proctor Rajni Abbi warned that strict action will be taken against those whose posters and names are found pasted or painted on the walls of the campus, as stated in a report by PTI. She said "certain elements" are "defacing" the walls on the campus.
Student groups have called on the University to rethink this order, saying that there are high chances that it might lead to the "politicisation" of the new norms. However, the University had said that a proper investigation will be carried out before taking action on the matter.
"I know there is a possibility that somebody else might put up the posters of someone else to sabotage their image but we will take action only after proper investigations," Abbi said. When asked about candidates changing the spellings of their names on posters to escape punishment, Abbi said, "We will hold the probe properly. We will track them down.”
The National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, said that the University should look for other ways to hold those who are defacing the University accountable, including by strengthening campus security.
"We are totally against those who are defacing the university but the notification recently issued by the university is not correct as somebody else can put your fake poster to sabotage your image and it will lead to the politicisation of the rule. The university needs to be careful about this," NSUI National Secretary Nitish Gaur said.
While explaining what other steps the University can take, he added that, "The university must strengthen the security. They are spending a lot of money on security agencies. The security people should be held responsible and they should ensure that nobody defaces the walls. Night duty guards should remain vigilant and check who is pasting them. The university should also install CCTVs everywhere so that nobody can paint over a wall."
Gaur's remarks were also echoed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which is affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). National Media Convener of ABVP Siddharth Yadav said the University needs to remain alert and ensure that the order is not misused. "It should be the collective responsibility of everyone that university is not defaced and is kept clean but the university should also remain alert and vigilant that nobody defaces the walls," he said.
“These are the walls inside the University and University's workers and several other employees are present 24x7 there. Those miscreants who are pasting posters, if they are caught in action, then only it is a real justice otherwise there is a high chance that it might be misused," he added.
The University officials said that despite having "democracy walls" which are dedicated spaces provided by the administration to paste campaign material in the University, posters, especially 'vote for' ones, dot the campus.
The situation worsens during the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) elections when parties try to cover the entire walls with posters, they said. All India Students' Association (AISA) said it should be allowed to paste posters everywhere in the University.
"It is the culture and the university by preventing us from pasting posters on the walls wants to curb this culture. I believe that posters should be allowed everywhere inside the campus," AISA's Delhi President Abhigyan said.