The student-driven protest at the Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) comes in full swing after issues regarding questionable administration, moral policing, hostel timings, restrictive library hours and allegations of sexual harassment are rife on campus. The students at HNLU staged a protest on 27 August 2018 to demand that the judgment passed by the Chattisgarh High Court in Dr. Avinash Samal v. State of Chhatisgarh be respected and Prof. Dr. Sukhpal Singh be disallowed from continuing as the Vice Chancellor. The protest then, came in light of the perturbing harassment a second year law student faced at the hands of a faculty member who forced her to dance for him.
On 20 September, 2018 the Supreme Court in Sukhpal Singh v. Avinash Samal & Ors. stayed the High Court order and Dr. Singh was reinstated as Vice Chancellor. Subsequently, a general student body meeting was held where the students voiced their grievances against the Vice Chancellor and his administration. In response to the arbitrary and discriminatory decision making process, the students passed a no recognition memo against the Vice Chancellor. As of 1 October 2018, the HNLU students have gone on an indefinite hunger strike to protest against the actions of the Vice Chancellor. Dr Singh responded to the students concerns, calling them false and fabricated. He dismissed their complaints as an attempt by certain teachers of the administration to malign his reputation.
One Future Collective stands in support of the students at HNLU, against the rising tide of administrative bureaucracy, moral policing, restrictive campus interaction and on-campus sexual harassment.
Featured image: Bar & Bench