Students at Delhi's Hansraj College protested after the campus was turned into a wedding venue for Principal Rama Sharma's son. Led by the SFI, they alleged misuse of infrastructure, claiming academic and sports activities were disrupted.
Hansraj College in Delhi is decorated with colourful tents and elaborate arrangements to host the wedding celebrations of Principal Rama Sharma's son, prompting protests from a section of students who alleged misuse of campus infrastructure.
Visuals widely shared on social media showed the college premises adorned with pink and white tents, with workers giving final touches to the arrangements. Parts of the campus, including the hostel building, were reportedly converted into accommodation for wedding guests.
Students objected to the transformation of the college into a wedding venue, claiming that academic and student activities were disrupted. According to SFI, the wedding is on Tuesday.
Principal Rama Sharma did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.
SFI Leads Student Protest
Over 200 students, led by the Students' Federation of India (SFI) unit of Hansraj College, held a protest on the college grounds on Monday. The protesters alleged that public infrastructure was being used for a private event and accused the administration of maintaining "double standards."
Allegations of 'Double Standards'
In a statement, SFI claimed that students are not permitted to use the college grounds after 4 PM for sports activities and are often denied permission to hold freshers' welcomes and farewell functions.
The student body further alleged that the annual 'Khelo Hansraj' sports tournament had been rescheduled to accommodate the wedding event.
The organisation also raised concerns over the Hansraj Hostel, which it said had remained closed for nearly a year on grounds of being "unfit for living," but was temporarily repurposed as a guest house for wedding attendees.
"The Principal treats our campus like a private estate while students continue to face restrictions and inadequate facilities. Today's turnout shows that students will not remain silent," said Asikul Islam, Secretary of SFI's Hansraj College unit.
University Administration Responds
Responding to the controversy, Delhi University Registrar Vikas Gupta said there was "no unnecessary controversy" and clarified that the principal resides in the college-allotted residence and is permitted to host personal celebrations there.
"The principal lives in the college-allotted residence and has the right to host celebrations. This is not the first time such an event has been held, and she is allowed to organise events," Gupta told ANI.
Protestors Issue Demands
The protesting students demanded restoration of full access to campus facilities, a probe into the alleged misuse of infrastructure, and a ban on private events within college premises. They warned of further action if their demands were not addressed.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)