DU imposes ban on student rallies

The Proctor issued a notice today, saying that all rallies will be banned in the campus till "further notice". The action came a day after allegations of misbehaviour were made during a student rally.

"In the light of the reported incident of eve teasing and disturbing harmony in the campus during the student rallies, the University has decided to ban all rallies and demonstration of any kind within the Delhi University campus till further notice," the statement by Proctor Usha Rao said.

While the varsity did not specify the details, the matter apparently refers to an incident yesterday during a protest march called by NSUI when some participants in the rally allegedly indulged in eve-teasing.

The move to ban rallies comes ahead of the Delhi University Student Union election on September 13 and student leaders said a blanket ban on rallies was no solution.

ABVP state secretary Rohit Chahal said his group would defy this ban on Monday by organising a rally of women students demanding action against the culprits.

He said the incident occurred outside IP college and as many as 90 per cent of the people participating in the rally were not University students but outsiders.

"It is absurd. Rather than find out those responsible and take action, the University has banned protest. There are enough number of cameras on campus to catch the culprits. We are not taking this. We are taking out a march of women students, come what may," Chahal said.

NSUI leaders claimed the allegations on their rally were being levelled by "political groups" but criticised the ban.

NSUI spokesperson Amrish Pandey said if any such incident of eve teasing has happened, it is highly condemnable but imposing a ban on rallies was not a way out.

"It is our democratic right. We were raising some genuine demands during our rally," he said, reacting to the ban.

Asked if the student group had tried to find out details of the reported incident, he said: "Allegations have been levelled by political groups. I have tried to find out the details but so far I have not come to know anything in this regard".