DU Students Continue Protest for Second Day, Demand Reopening of Campus

Student organisation AISA said that the protests will continue until a notice on offline classes is released.

Members of various student organisations hold placards as they stage a protest demanding reopening of the Delhi University, outside Arts Faculty in New Delhi, Tuesday.

(Photo: Vijay Verma/PTI)

Students from various colleges of the Delhi University continued their protest against online classes on Tuesday, 8 February, for the second day as they demanded reopening of the campus.

Visuals from the national capital's North Campus on Tuesday showed students voicing their demand with placards and banners outside the Arts Faculty.

Members of various student organisations hold placards as they stage a protest demanding reopening of the Delhi University, outside Arts Faculty in New Delhi, Tuesday.

(Photo: Vijay Verma/PTI)

Members of various student organisations stage a protest demanding reopening of the Delhi University, in New Delhi, Tuesday.

(Photo: PTI/Vijay Verma)

Members of various student organisations stage a protest demanding reopening of the Delhi University, in New Delhi, Tuesday.

(Photo: PTI/Vijay Verma)

On Monday, scores of students held a protest in front of the varsity Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh's office as they pushed for their demand.

What Happened on Monday?

The All India Students' Association (AISA), Delhi on Monday said in a statement that thousands of students boycotted their classes to protest at the VC office for reopening DU campuses.

On Monday, students hung an ‘out of service’ placard on the gate of the VC office compound.

Students from various colleges and departments said that they will boycott online classes in solidarity with the movement.

The AISA said the proctor assured students that a notice on the reopening of campus will be released on Monday.

“Students were met by the DU Proctor who assured that notice for reopening will come up in the evening, but later turned down her promise and said it will take a week.”

said the statement by AISA, Delhi

'Demand Immediate Access to Campus': AISA 

The student outfit said that the protests will continue until the notice is released. It added, “We have resolved that our movement will continue until the notice comes.”

Students have also been demanding opening of the campus and allotment of hostels in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

The AISA said that students in JNU met with the Dean of Students (DoS) who promised to restart offline classes, mess facilities, and hostel allotments for BA 2020 students, as per a press release dated 6 February.

The statement said, “For several months, the DDMA guidelines were the sole excuse of the authorities to keep the University closed. Now that DDMA has given a green light for reopening of colleges, students demand immediate access to their campus.”

The Students Federation of India (SFI) took to Twitter on Monday to protest against Google and Zoom classes and demanded reopening of offline classes.

The students organisation tweeted, "DU students have entered inside the university VC's compound demanding reopening of the campus. Enough of Google Zoom, now open Classrooms!"

The SFI also said they would start ‘sadak pe kaksha’ or ‘classroom on the street’ from 9 February till the university reopens.

Meanwhile, students on Monday claimed that that they were detained and manhandled by the Delhi police. This was however denied by the police who said that the student protesters were removed from the premises and thereafter released, reported The Indian Express.

(With inputs from The Indian Express.)