The Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) have been on an indefinite hunger strike at Gate Number 4 of the Arts Faculty, North Campus, the University of Delhi from February 8. The ABVP-led DUSU has said that it will wait till 3 pm on February 9 for the administration to come up with a declaration to reopen campuses for students, failing which the students will lock all DU campuses.
DUSU President Akshit Dahiya said that it is unfair that the colleges are open for the administration but the students are not being allowed in. "We are giving the administration time till 3 pm. If they fail to decide on reopening the campuses then we will go and lock all the colleges and the DU campuses. The administrative staff and faculty are back on campus while the students, for whom the campus is built, are being kept out. This is causing immense learning loss and difficulties," he added.
The DUSU has been on an indefinite hunger strike after a day-long protest on February 8. Along with Akshit, DUSU Vice President Pradeep Tanwar, Co-Secretary Shivangi Kharwal, Rohit Sharma, President of ABVP's Delhi University Unit and a few others were on strike. " Six ABVP workers along with DUSU office-bearers were on a hunger strike against the decision of not opening the campus of Delhi University. We plan to continue the fast and protest till the university is not completely opened," said ABVP's National Media Coordinator and Delhi Province Minister Siddharth Yadav.
But the DUSU and ABVP aren't the only ones protesting. Left-leaning organisations led by the SFI had started protesting from February 7. First they gheraoed the Vice-Chancellor's office where they were allegedly harassed that night. Their protest continued and other organisations joined in as well. On February 8, Kamal Tiwaree, a first-year student of MA Buddhist Studies at the University of Delhi tried to set himself on fire during the protests. Delhi Police took him into custody shortly. A Chakka Jam occupying the Chhatra Marg was called by the SFI and other student organisations on February 8 to protest "against the police and administration brutality faced by the students". "The DU VC and administration have repeatedly said that it will take them a lot of time to work on reopening, but it is visible that to assault students and curb their voice, they are always ready and prepared. If this can be done to curb the voices of the students, why not the same be done to reopen our campuses?" asked Sachin Singal, SFI North Area Committee co-convenor and a student of Ramjas College.
The SFI also organised classes on the road — Sadak pe Kaksha — on February 9 where Dr Abha Dev Habib conducted a session. the students said that this was organised "to display how desperately students and teachers are wanting to take offline classes".
