A professor at Delhi University’s Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College was assaulted and slapped inside the principal’s office on Thursday during a confrontation involving DUSU joint secretary Deepika Jha and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
A video of the incident, showing the teacher being attacked while police officers looked on, has sparked widespread outrage within the academic community. The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) condemned the assault, calling it an attack on institutional integrity.
According to a report by News18, professor Sujeet Kumar, convenor of the college’s disciplinary committee, was looking into cases of campus violence allegedly involving ABVP members when the incident occurred.
Teachers’ body demands action
The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has written to the Vice-Chancellor, urging immediate action.
“We are appalled to learn that a senior faculty member at BR Ambedkar College was slapped and attacked by a group of students inside the college while performing his official duties. Such acts of violence have no place in an academic institution and are a direct affront to the dignity of the teaching community. This incident fosters an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among teachers and students alike," the letter read, NDTV reported.
Responding to the incident, the DUSU joint secretary claimed she had gone to the college after receiving complaints about professor Kumar’s alleged misconduct.
“I accept that I acted impulsively and regret the way I responded. I sincerely apologise to the teaching fraternity… But as a student representative, the repeated abusive behaviour and intimidating conduct of Professor Kumar made me feel unsafe," she said, apologising to teachers but alleging that Kumar behaved abusively and appeared intoxicated.
Meanwhile, the attacked professor said he was assaulted a day after a clash during the college union’s oath-taking ceremony.
“There was violence during the event, and I decided to suspend a student who was involved. After learning about this, DUSU leaders, including joint secretary Deepika Jha, entered the staffroom with about 50 students. During an argument, Jha got up and slapped me in the presence of police," he told The Times Of India.
Kumar added that the group had also pressured the principal to seek his resignation. He explained that the confrontation arose from disciplinary action taken last month against three ABVP-affiliated students who were involved in a campus fight.
Further, ABVP State Secretary Sarthak Sharma also accused the attacked professor of violating the “decorum of his position", indulging in indiscipline.
“Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has always believed in upholding the dignity of teacher–student relations. Under no circumstances does misbehavior or disrespect towards a teacher have any place within an educational institution. ABVP deeply regrets this incident. However, when a professor violates the decorum of his position, harasses students out of political prejudice, or indulges in indiscipline, it damages the image of the entire teaching fraternity," ABVP State Secretary said.
“Teachers are the guardians of students within educational spaces. ABVP demands a fair and impartial inquiry into this entire matter and expects that strict action be taken against the guilty professor so that students feel safe among teachers and such incidents do not recur in the future," he added.
NSUI national president Varun Choudhary condemned the attack, calling it “an assault on the dignity of the academic community" and demanded immediate arrests.
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