Row at Punjabi varsity over ban on wearing shorts in girls’ hostel mess

PATIALA:Is this the age of ban? Ask girl students of Punjabi University, Patiala, who are bearing the brunt of the latest “diktat” that bars them from wearing shorts when they go to the hostel mess.

The authorities have pasted a notice in the girl hostels saying that any student coming to the mess in shorts would be fined. The move comes close on the heels of a similar ban imposed at university’s Bhai Khan Singh Nabha Library for both boys and girls. Warden of Amrita Shergill Hostel, Richa Sharma said the ban was in some areas, especially in the hostel mess. The decision was taken for the “safety of girls”.

Amrit Pal Kaur, dean, students’ welfare (girls), however, differs. “No, a hostel warden cannot take independent decision and cannot determine what girls should wear,” she said, adding “girls should have the freedom to wear clothes of their choice.”

Dean, students’ welfare, Tara Singh said he was not aware of any ban. “If such thing has happened, it is unfortunate,” he said.

Students are also not amused and accuse the authorities of discrimination. Gagan Deep, secretary of the Democratic Student Organisation, said: “University authorities have been imposing restrictions especially on girl students, by setting new guidelines. We are mature enough to decide what we should wear.”

Opposing the ban, Jasman, a student of LLM, said: “They (authorities) want to enforce their ideology on students. If boys can go to the mess in shorts, why can’t we?” she questioned.

HT ■ The ban notice in Punjabi, pasted at the Patiala university’s Amrita Shergill Hostel, says, “All residents are hereby told not to go to the mess in short dresses. Violators will face disciplinary action.”