Students paraded in undies during Goa varsity fest
The commission issued a notice to Vice-Chancellor Harilal B Menon, asking him to appear before it and submit a reply by July 23.
A senior official from the University said the incident occurred during an inter-departmental festival called 'Frolic' held in February.
'During a competition called 'Third Degree', the jury asked the participants to strip to their underwear,' he said.
The rights panel took suo motu cognisance of a report about the incident that appeared in a newspaper this week.
The commission, in its notice, stated that it was taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, which prima facie makes out violations of the human rights of the students.
Condemning the incident, National Students Union of India (NSUI) leader Naushad Chaudhury said that female students were part of the crowd that attended the festival.
'Students were not allowed to leave. It was an embarrassing situation for both male and female students present there,' he said.
The NSUI has planned protests against the event.
The opposition Goa Forward Party (GFP) was the first to bring the incident to the fore in the media.
GFP chief Vijai Sardesai said that his party had questioned the authorities about the incident.
Goa University, meanwhile, announced a 'discretionary holiday' on Friday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
NSUI holds protests at DU over NCERT's special module on Partition
New Delhi: Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest at 's Faculty of Arts on Tuesday, criticising what it called the "RSS-BJP's hateful and distorted" NCERT module. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The uproar came after NCERT, in a special module released to mark 'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day', held Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Congress, and then Viceroy Lord Mountbatten responsible for India's Partition. Opposition leaders accused the BJP of "interfering" in institutions and "distorting" the nation's history. BJP, however, responded, claiming the Congress was rattled because NCERT simply presented the "bitter truth of Partition" to students. According to an NSUI statement, scores of students joined the protest. "The history of India will not be written with lies and hatred. When the nation was fighting for freedom, these people were standing with the British. We will not allow the innocent children of this country to be victims of distorted history," said NSUI national president Varun Choudhary. The students' body announced that the agitation will not remain limited to Delhi University but will spread to every state and university until the "hateful and misleading NCERT module" is rolled back. Asserting that restoring truth and dignity in the portrayal of India's freedom struggle was "non-negotiable," NSUI vowed to escalate its campaign in the coming days. (NCERT official statement awaited)
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
DU students' union polls: Housing, fees, period leave take center stage ahead of September contest
This year, the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) election is shaping up to be a contest over pressing student issues — from housing and campus infrastructure to menstrual leave, fee hikes, the National Education Policy's fourth undergraduate year, and efforts to field candidates from marginalised communities for central posts. Each party contesting the polls, slated for September 18, has positioned itself as the voice of everyday student concerns. The results will be declared the next day (September 19). The Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which broke a seven-year drought last year by winning the president and joint secretary posts, is foregrounding both campus welfare and gender equity. Speaking to The Indian Express, Ravi Pandey, National Chairman of NSUI's media department, said, 'Our teams are actively engaging with students across North Campus and various colleges, sharing diaries that highlight our agenda on accommodation and housing, campus infrastructure, transportation, social justice, and other key student issues. With female students, we are prioritising crucial demands like 12 days of menstrual leave per semester. NSUI will also organise interactive programmes in colleges to directly listen to students, understand their concerns, and prepare a concrete roadmap for solutions.' The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is preparing to release its manifesto after consultations with students. State secretary Saarthak Sharma said, 'Basic issues that arise in campuses are hygiene in colleges. ABVP promised the U-Special (bus) and the fight to regulate the exorbitant fee hike, towards which we have worked in the past year. We will be presenting a list of promises that the ABVP has delivered soon.' Earlier this month, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced the return of the U-Special buses. It was once a popular transport option for students of the varsity, especially those living in far-flung villages on the outskirts. The Aam Aadmi Party's student wing, Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP), is contesting under a new name — a decade after its parent party launched its youth wing, the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS). While CYSS contested DU and Panjab University elections, it faded from Delhi's student landscape until its reemergence this summer. Deepak Bansal, once a DUSU joint secretary in 2011 and an ABVP loyalist who joined CYSS in 2023, is steering the campaign. He said the organisation is committed to breaking the dominance of Jats and Gurjars in the four panel posts. 'This time at DUSU, we are trying to pitch an SC/ST candidate as one of the main four panel posts. No one fields a candidate from the marginalised community, but this year, ASAP will be changing that. We are taking registrations for nominations irrespective of caste or money. We see Rahul Gandhi coming to DU and speaking with the marginalised students, but how many times has NSUI fielded someone from the marginalised community? Additionally, when the ABVP came to power, it said it would provide a 50% concession on Metro passes, which never happened. We will be taking up this issue. There is also a signature campaign going on in the matter of fee hike in colleges.' The All India Students' Association (AISA) and Students' Federation of India (SFI), which contested in an alliance last year, believe new restrictions could level the playing field. AISA state secretary Abhigyan told The Indian Express, 'After the Delhi High Court's verdict against defacement last year, it is going to be a real advantage for us to see how ABVP is going to contest this election without splashing their name across the city. They will have to hit the ground, go from classroom to classroom and talk to students — that's what AISA always did.' He added, 'We will also be taking up the introduction of the 4th year under the NEP and how the dilution of education is happening at DU by introducing Value Added Courses, which are of no importance to students. We have also started approaching every other party, except for the ABVP, to form an alliance. The main aim is to make sure the ABVP doesn't win.' Last year, NSUI's Ronak Khatri was elected president and Lokesh Choudhary joint secretary, while ABVP's Mitravinda Karanwal and Bhanu Pratap Singh won secretary and vice-president posts, respectively. The counting of votes, however, was stayed by the Delhi High Court over allegations of large-scale defacement of sites across the city by poll candidates. Votes were allowed to be counted only two months after the September election. This year, candidates for the four central posts have until 3 pm on September 10 to submit their nominations. Each submission must include a demand draft of Rs 500, an affidavit, and a bond of Rs 1 lakh — the latter has drawn flak from several student bodies.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
Campaigns pick up pace as DUSU polls draw closer
NEW DELHI As the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections, scheduled for September 18, draw closer, campaigning has gained momentum across the North Campus. Student organisations are not only finalising candidates but also framing their agendas, ranging from menstrual leave and metro fare concessions to academic freedom and infrastructure reforms. Varun Choudhary, national president of the Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which currently heads the central panel, said, 'We have shortlisted around 15-16 candidates and are working on our pre-campaign efforts'. Mr. Choudhary said they will raise 'social justice issues' such as the university 'defying' reservation rules in admissions and recruitment. According to him, NSUI is also prioritising demands related to crumbling infrastructure and the delays caused by the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). Last week, the organisation staged protests demanding 12 days of menstrual leave per semester for women students, which is among their key campaign points. Bond clause The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) began campaigning as soon as the new academic session started. Its main concern has been the clause that requires students to sign a ₹1 lakh bond to contest elections. The amount will be forfeited if they are found violating defacement rules. 'We have raised the issue with the administration and have been assured that this clause will be revoked,' said Harsh Attri, ABVP's national media convener. The new poll guidelines, introduced last week, also prohibit the use of loudspeakers and vehicles, besides defacement. These restrictions came after the Delhi High Court halted the elections last year over widespread defacement. University officials have said they are considering alternatives to the bond clause after protests by multiple organisations. Currently, the central panel includes two post holders from ABVP and NSUI, with the president from NSUI. 'Alternative politics' Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) recently rebranded Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) is seeking to break the NSUI-ABVP dominance by offering what it calls 'clean politics'. On Friday, AAP Delhi State president Saurabh Bharadwaj announced that ASAP will support students from ordinary backgrounds, regardless of their political affiliations. In a statement, ASAP said, 'ASAP's mission is to strengthen democracy from the grassroots through alternative politics, ensuring students choose clean politics over money and muscle power.' Earlier this week, ASAP also demanded a 50% metro concession for students, citing rising living and education costs. Meanwhile, Left outfits All India Students' Association (AISA) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) are exploring an alliance. AISA Delhi State president Abhigyan said, 'We will fight for academic integrity, and one of the major issues is that under NEP 2020, Value Added Courses and Skill Enhancement Courses form a core of the credits. This has diluted academics in the university, and they don't add much value.'
