The 21-day lockdown imposed by the Modi government to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus has inconvenienced people across the country. Its latest victims are Delhi University’s (DU) hostel residents.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Development had issued guidelines to ensure that hostels remain functional, but some are not following suit. Students from the Mukherjee Nagar-based Ambedkar-Ganguly Students House for Women have alleged that they are not being let inside the hostel premises and had earlier been forcefully asked to leave.
“NOWHERE TO GO, PROVOST UNMOVED”
Amisha Nanda, a resident of the hostel, fought her way back in and told NewsClick that she managed to get in after showing the MHRD guidelines to hostel authorities. “I got in after many days of struggle with the authorities. I have shown them all the orders from the MHRD and told the authorities that many of us cannot go back home. If the other hostels are functioning, then why are we being treated like this? The authorities are brushing off all responsibility,” she said. This was not all. “The authorities had turned off the electricity. They were not providing me with food. It is only after other teachers put them under that I am being given food. Many others like me are stranded right now,” she said.
Students claim that the Provost, Dr. Anu G. Aggarwal, has instructed security guards to ensure that none of the students enter, and that they would be terminated if the order was not followed.
Amisha and a group of students had previously protested in the hostel premises over controversial statements made by hostel authorities about women’s bodies, their autonomy, and over “unjust hostel rules”.
Amisha said that she faces disciplinary action for the same and that authorities are harassing students by calling up their parents, adding to their woes.
