Confusion prevails over removal of freedom fighters' bust from DU campus

Confusion prevailed on Saturday over the overnight removal of busts of Veer Savarkar, Bhagat Singh and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose from outside the Arts Faculty of Delhi University's North Campus.

While the RSS-affiliated ABVP, in a statement, claimed it was removed by Delhi University Students' Union, the student outfit's member and outgoing president Shakti Singh accused the varsity administration of removing the busts.

A senior functionary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, however, said the outfit wants that the busts should be installed with due permission and with pomp and show and not silently.

"We will install statues of freedom fighters, including Veer Savarkar, across campuses in India but with due permission and letting people know," the functionary said.

Singh, meanwhile, said, "Late last night, DU removed the idols installed by the students. This is obviously an insult to the martyrs and I am opposed to this. The Delhi University administration is intent on killing the student union here."
ABVP Delhi's state secretary Sidharth Yadav said, "It is very unfortunate that the DU administration turned a deaf ear to DUSU's demand for installation of busts of freedom fighters, for a very long time. The university should restore these idols, as per their assurances, at the earliest."