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Hansraj principal opens up on son's wedding in college campus; refutes allegations of hosting guests in students' hostel
Hansraj princi Rama denies allegations saying hostel wasn't used to host wedding guests, as stated by students protesting over misuse of campus facilities.
Hansraj College principal Rama opens up to HT City and denies any wrongdoings in the matter of her son's wedding venue being the Delhi University college grounds. Her statement comes after allegations that erupted on Monday, when college students staged a protest on campus stating that the sporting events and facilities were being suspended or repurposed for the wedding of the principal’s son; scheduled for February 10 on the college grounds.
Speaking to HT City exclusively, Rama says, “Since its inception, Hansraj College has provided facilities on its campus to both the teaching and the non-teaching staff. The college ground is a facility that can be used by the staff to host functions, and during my tenure there have been many functions by staff members for their kids. Right from the watchmen to the senior most staff, anyone can access this facility.”
The protesting students have even alleged that the boys’ hostel was vacated last year citing “infrastructural concerns”, but was being used as a guesthouse for the wedding. Principal Rama, however, clarifies: "The redevelopment of the hostel was paused and postponed to April due the the GRAP regulations in the city owing to the air pollution issues. If not for that then it would already have begun by now… As far as the boys' hostel is concerned, none of my guests stayed there. I have receipts of the guest houses that I booked in the areas surrounding Delhi University, including Kamala Nagar, where I made arrangements for the wedding guests to stay over."
What happened earlier?
On Monday, members of several student political groups protested on the college campus questioning the use of the hostel at Hansraj College, which has remained shut for nearly a year after being declared “unfit for living,” to host wedding guests.
In a video circulating on social media, parts of the college were spotted draped in vibrant tent. In addition to this, students alleged that the campus, including the hostel building, were converted into accommodation for the wedding guests, which led to the disruption of academic life and even restricted student access.
What does DUSU president have to say?
Aryan Maan, president, Delhi University Students' Union, tells us, “If an event was to be planned, there should have been at least a prior notice given to the students. Right at the last moment, they closed the main gate (Near Kamla Nagar) of the campus that most students use to enter the college. The other gate that remained open is around 2kms away from the main campus, which makes it inconvenient for the students to commute. During the season of college fests and freshers' parties, students are categorically told that the ground is only available till 4-5pm, but when it's a wedding such as the one that was conducted on Tuesday night, the party was on till 3am! What's the justification for this?”
Aryan also points to the fact that the hostel that was shut uptil now, due to pending renovation. Aryan adds, "But just around the time of the wedding, the boys' hostel was reopened and decorated but apparantly when we started protesting, the plan to host the wedding guests here couldn't be executed. Also, the Khelo Hansraj Games that were scheduled from February 4 were were postponed because of the wedding functions of principal ma'am."
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