Delhi University Objects To Rahul Gandhi's Visit, Calls It Breach Of Protocol

Delhi University on Thursday objected to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's unannounced visit to its North Campus, calling it a breach of institutional protocol and a disruption of student governance operations.

"Shri Rahul Gandhi has done this for the second time... coming to the university without any intimation and information to University of Delhi," the proctor's office said in an official release.

Earlier in the day, Mr Gandhi, who is also the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, interacted with students from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) at the DU's North Campus, focusing on issues of representation, equality and academic justice.

The session was held at the office of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) president.

The university condemned Mr Gandhi's visit and said it hoped that such a thing would not happen again.

According to the release, Mr Gandhi remained in the DUSU office for almost an hour, during which the area was cordoned off by security personnel.

The university criticised the visit for disrupting the functioning of a key student body.

"The DUSU office was cordoned off by security cover and no one was allowed to enter," it said, noting that the DUSU secretary was also barred from accessing her office.

"Some students were locked in the room of the secretary, DUSU, and were misbehaved with by NSUI students," it claimed.

These actions occurred while the DUSU secretary remained outside, seeking access to her office but was prevented from entering by members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Congress' student wing, it added.

"The university condemns such action and hopes that this does not happen in future," the release said.

"Strict action will be taken against students who were involved in this," it added.

DUSU President Ronak Khatri, aligned with the NSUI, hit back, saying there is no rule that requires the student body head to seek permission to host a private guest.

"Let it be clearly stated: this visit was conducted peacefully and solely within the premises of the DUSU Office, to which I, as the duly elected President of the Delhi University Students' Union, am fully entitled to invite any guest.

"There exists no rule -- academic or legal -- that compels the President of DUSU to seek prior permission for hosting a private or informal guest interaction, particularly when it does not constitute a public gathering or violate campus security," Mr Khatri said.

Labelling the visit as unauthorised is not only "factually incorrect" but also misleading and suggestive of "administrative overreach", he said.

"This (DU's) press note, unfortunately, appears politically motivated, biased in tone, and undermines the democratic and autonomous functioning of the student body," he said.

The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which holds several posts in the DUSU, also issued a statement criticising Gandhi's visit.

It said the Congress leader's visit was a photo-op rather than a genuine outreach and claimed that its representatives were sidelined during the event.

DUSU Secretary Mitravinda Karanwal, aligned with the ABVP, alleged that she and her team were prevented from entering the student body's office due to "VVIP protocol".

"Only after a lengthy negotiation was I 'graciously' allowed entry -- alone. I refused to leave the students behind," she said.

The ABVP termed the event "bad theatre".

It said, "Turning up uninvited, silencing elected voices and treating a student union office like a private drawing room is not leadership -- it's theatre." "Rahul Gandhi visiting DU is like a rejected actor crashing a student play -- no role, no invite, just loud entry and bad reviews." The ABVP further accused Mr Gandhi of engaging with only select NSUI members in what it called an "echo chamber" instead of holding an open dialogue.

It said, "Is this the Congress party's idea of women empowerment? Of youth outreach? Of democratic values?" Last week, Mr Gandhi met students at an Ambedkar hostel in Bihar's Darbhanga district as part of his 'Shiksha Nyay Samvad'. The event, held without official permission, led to the registration of two FIRs against him and more than 100 Congress workers in the state. 

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