NEW DELHI — While Jamia celebrated its win, across the city at Kashmere Gate, another Ambedkarite university is being locked down.
At Dr B R Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD), students have been on indefinite sit-in since September 28 at the Wall of Democracy, Kashmere Gate campus.
Their 5 demands:
- End protest restrictions: Two circulars issued July 31 — one requiring 4 working days prior notice for any demonstration, rally, march, public gathering; another making attendance mandatory for PhD scholars.
- PhD fee waivers: Reinstatement of fee waivers withdrawn, making research unaffordable.
- Elected representation: Student representation in all decision-making bodies including Board of Management, Academic Council, infrastructure grievance redressal committee.
- Open the gates: Remove iron gates and barriers. Main gate shut for over a year, students forced through back alley.
- Basic infrastructure: Drinking water, toilets, classrooms, research scholar space, and completion of faculty recruitment.
Read more - Jamia Wins After 20 Years
Oct 13 — the flashpoint:
On evening of October 13, Day 16 of sit-in, protesters planned to screen Anand Patwardhan's ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ near protest site — a film about Ambedkarite movement, music, and resistance.
According to AISA-led AUD Students' Collective, admin cut electricity around 6 pm, tore down posters and bedsheets. Security personnel allegedly assaulted students. Female students reported injuries, torn clothes. Food supplies blocked and student Aameen sustained head injury while bringing food and needed hospitalization. One student allegedly singled out with communal threats.
AUD admin version: At 7 pm, protesting students vandalised property, engaged in scuffle with male and female security personnel, behaved abusively with officials trying dialogue. It called police citing safety.
Oct 14 — suspensions without notice:
Without show-cause notice, proctorial board served suspension letters at 8 pm to *10 students*, including elected treasurer of Students' Council at Karampura campus Vivek Mishra, current and former reps from Kashmere Gate and Lodhi Road, and two first-year students. AISA says some were not even present.
Order signed by Prof Satyaketu Sankrit says suspension pending inquiry under Code of Discipline, after review of proctorial preliminary report, CCTV footage and visual evidence. Inquiry committee to submit report in a week. Students barred from campuses but allowed to appear for exams for current semester.
> "We had planned to screen Jai Bhim Comrade at 6 pm near the protest site. The university did not issue us a show-cause notice and directly suspended us," — Vivek Mishra
AISA called it arbitrary crackdown, said admin increased barricading and deployed police, dragged students out and removed protest materials.
This is not isolated. Same week, JNU saw 16-day hunger strike against CPO manual that penalises protests, Jamia saw online classes to suppress union demand. As TOI reported, Delhi is witnessing a fresh wave — protest culture being criminalised while teachers under DUTA also held dharnas on Oct 15 over regularisation.
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The irony:
A university named after Babasaheb Ambedkar — who wrote "Cultivation of mind should be the ultimate aim of human existence" and who faced gates closed to him — is closing its own main gate, putting iron barriers where there should be debate, and suspending students for watching ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ .
Students vow sit-in continues till gates reopen and suspensions revoked.
*Tags:* #AUD #AmbedkarUniversity #AUDProtest #AISA #JaiBhimComrade #PhDFeeWaiver #CampusDemocracy