AISA claims AUD suspended 11 students for harassment, cites no transparency

The All India Students' Association on Sunday claimed Dr B R Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) suspended 11 students for allegedly harassing a classmate, saying the administration "recklessly handled" the matter and that its decision lacked "transparency".

The alleged suspensions came after an inquiry into an incident of harassment at the university's Karampura campus earlier this month where a student was said to have faced severe harassment by classmates, it said.

The university has not commented on the suspensions.

The alleged bullying escalated over time, leading the student to attempt suicide and prompting the university administration to initiate an investigation.

AISA termed the alleged suspensions "unjust" and demanded an immediate revocation of the order.

In an official statement, the Left student outfit claimed the administration's decision lacked transparency and set a dangerous precedent that undermined the democratic character of the university.

"The reckless handling of this issue, both by the administration and by certain sections of the student community, has led to a deeply flawed process that demands urgent redress," it said.

The students' group has also demanded that the university make public the proctorial committee's report to ensure accountability.

Eight of the suspended students are from the BA Global Studies programme while the other three are activists of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), another Left students' outfit.

The SFI has accused members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of being involved in the harassment, an allegation the RSS-affiliated organisation called "baseless".