NEW DELHI: A students' group on Monday claimed that around of its 15 activists were detained from outside the Indraprastha College for Women, where they had gathered to stage a protest against the alleged harassment of girl students during a fest last week.
Delhi Police, however, has denied the charge.
Led by the All India Students' Association (AISA), the agitators had gathered to protest against the alleged incident and the administration's response to it.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers while the gates of the college were barricaded.
"About 15 AISA activists have been detained from the college gate and are being taken to Burari police station," the students' body's Delhi unit president Abhigyan alleged.
A senior police officer, however, denied the allegation. "Around 10-15 protesters had gathered outside the college gate. They were removed peacefully," he said. No one has been detained, the officer added.
Students at the Indraprastha College for Women, a Delhi University affiliate, last week alleged that some men scaled the institute's boundary walls during a fest and "harassed several students".
#DU’s #IPCW at the centre of firestorm. Amid protests over lack of security, students r also worried about alleged saffronisation. Boundary walls have been painted saffron, same colour added to its logo & guests being invited to the college events r controversial figures pic.twitter.com/4FPj5JYj2N
— Vishu Adhana (@vishuadhana08) April 3, 2023ALSO READ | DCW begins probe into sexual harassment incidents at college fests
Angry students demand exit of new principal
Hundreds of students at DU's Indraprastha College for Women have held multiple demonstrations in the last few days, demanding the resignation of the newly-appointed principal over security lapses during the recent annual fest and alleged authoritarian steps. They have also taken to social media.
They did not resort to a demonstration until the March 28 incident when some "unknown" men allegedly trespassed, shouted slogans and harassed women students during the annual 'Shruti' festival at the college. A similar incident was reported during an event at Miranda House College last year in October.
The students have alleged lapses on the part of the administration. "The principal did not make a proper arrangement for the safety and security of the students. They knew that over 12,000 students will come and there is a high chance that hooligans might show up at the event," a first-year student who did not want to be named said.
The administration's response further outraged the students.
"The principal is not taking any measures. She is not giving us a proper answer. She called police on the campus, who are lenient on the perpetrators and are pushing and shoving students," she said.
The college principal did not respond to calls and texts from PTI seeking a response to the allegations.
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PROTESTING STUDENTS OF INDRAPRASTHA COLLEGE FOR WOMEN! POONAM KUMRIA MUST RESIGN! #IPCW#smashbrahminicalpatriarchy #baso pic.twitter.com/WC7nw5QrDr
— Apeksha Priyadarshini (@apeksha_9) April 3, 2023'Walls painted saffron, increased surveillance of professors'
The recent "saffronisation" of the college has only added to the anger of the students who have also claimed increased surveillance and curtailment of freedom of speech ever since Poonam Kumria took charge as the head of the century-old institute on February 21.
PTI talked with the protesting students, who said that they have noticed a "huge difference" in the way the college is operating under Kumria.
According to students, the college's boundary walls have been painted saffron, the same colour has also been added to its logo and guests being invited to the college events are controversial figures.
Why does Punam Kumariya( Principal of IP college,DU) fear her own students? Why was she running away from students with the help of police? #justiceforipstudents pic.twitter.com/BAXnDHWljE
— AISA (@AISA_tweets) April 1, 2023"Since her coming to the college, there have been many changes, our walls that were white have been painted saffron, and our college's logo has also been changed to saffron with a very highlighted lotus in the middle. Shruti'23, the annual fest of IPCW was also inaugurated by a very controversial figure Navika Kumar, who has made many Islamophobic comments on television," said Shambhavi, a second-year student.
"She used IPCW's official Twitter account to post wishes on Hindi New Year which clearly shows her bias, her Twitter account has many Islamophobic tweets and under her presence, liberty, democracy, and freedom has had a clear attack inside our campus," Shambhavi who is associated to All India Students' Association (AISA) said.
We will not tolerate the saffronisation of IPCW. Anti-women sanghi administration must resign! #justiceforipstudents pic.twitter.com/x5tLmPgnBG
— AISA - Delhi University (@aisa_du) April 1, 2023Last week, a former IPCW student tweeted several photos of the college's outer boundary and logo, saying: "DU is overturning its own glorious and revolutionary history by painting the walls saffron!"
Anjali, who is also the DU Secretary for AISA, said, "The college is witnessing saffronisation. No consultations with the students or professors were made either. Using saffron on walls and logos is a clear violation of the democratic nature of the institution."
"A third-year student accused the administration of operating in a draconian way. Whatever changes have been made in the past two months, no proper communication has been put out and no announcements have been made," alleged a third-year student.
IPCW principal left without answeing! pic.twitter.com/yMS3bzvxI8
— AISA - Delhi University (@aisa_du) March 29, 2023"We were told by our seniors and teachers that the college is a historical building and no changes are allowed. Now, the whole boundary walls were painted saffron. It is clear-cut political messaging. People at the university are shocked and nobody was informed about it," said the student, who does not wish to be named, fearing action from the administration.The students claimed that the logo was changed without any notification.
The logo of the college, which is a lotus inside a swastika in a black and white motif, too has been changed and embedded in a saffron-coloured circle.
Students have claimed that the principal has also increased surveillance of the professors. "The students have also alleged that the principal has also increased surveillance on our professor, she has been clicking their photos in the classroom," Shambhavi said.
