Pinjra Tod marches against DU’S hostel rules for female students
NEWDELHI: The student collective Pinjra Tod on Wednesday held a protest at Delhi University’s (DU) North Campus against “discriminatory” hostel rules for female students of the varsity.
Hundreds of students marched in several colleges, demanding removal of curfew timings for female students in hostels.
“We had submitted a memorandum to the vice chancellor last week mentioning our demands, including removal of curfew timings, 24-hour entry for women residents in to their hostels and non-discriminatory rules in hostels. But we have not received any response from them as of now,” De Devangana Kalita, a member of Pinjra Tod, said.
The students took out a march on Chhatra Marg and then assembled at the Arts Faculty. “There are so many discriminatory rules for women in DU hostels besides curfew timings. We do not get a hostel room without having a local guardian and it is compulsory for us to give an emergency local contact number. We are made to give daily attendance to wardens. However, no such rules are there for boys,” Shilpi Singh, a third-year student in Daulat Ram College, said.
During the protest, students also met the principals of some colleges. “We had a meeting with the principals and they assured us that some changes in hostel rules will be made. We have decided to send notices to all colleges, setting October 30 as the deadline for removing curfew timings for girls in hostels,” the group said in a statement.
Pinjra Tod – a women’s group which works for affordable and non-discriminatory accommodation for female students, had taken out a similar march on Monday during which they had locked the main gate of the University’s Arts Faculty demanding a dialogue with the proctor. The blockage was called off late in the night after officials came out to meet the students.
“They did not listen to our demands on Monday and instead asked us to go back. They also removed our graffiti from outside the Arts Faculty gate. That’s why we organised a protest on Wednesday to let them know we are not going to stop. We will fight for our rights,” a student from Hindu College said.