New Delhi, April 18 (). The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi University (DU) to file its reply within three days on a plea by the national secretary of the Congress Students’ Union alleging that it organized the screening of a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. did.
Lokesh Chugh of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) was debarred from appearing in any university, college or departmental examination. Chugh is a PhD Research Scholar in the Department of Anthropology, DU.
During the hearing, Justice Purushendra Kumar Kaurav remarked that the impugned order does not reflect the application of mind by the University.
The court said, the university should be consulted independently. This is not reflected in the order.
Appearing for DU, advocate Mohinder Roopal said that the university’s decision is based on certain documents which they want to submit.
Chugh’s counsel claimed that there is great urgency in the situation as the deadline for submission of his PhD thesis is April 30.
Justice Kaurav replied that once the petitioner comes to the court, his rights will be protected.
Court ordered, Mohinder Roopal has sought time to file counter affidavit. This should be done in three days. The petitioner is also at liberty to file rejoinder within two days thereafter. List on Monday.
The case pertains to a protest organized on January 27, 2023, at the DU campus, where the BBC documentary India: The Modi Question was also screened for the general audience.
Chugh has claimed in his petition that he was not there during the protest as he was interacting with the media.
He said, the petitioner was giving a live interview when the documentary was being screened inside the Faculty of Arts (Main Campus). Subsequently, the police detained some students for allegedly screening a banned BBC documentary and later charged them with disturbing the peace in the area. The petitioner was neither detained nor charged by the police for any incitement or violence or breach of peace.
However, DU issued him a show-cause notice on February 16, alleging that he disrupted law and order in the university during the screening. On 10 March a memorandum was issued to ban them.
Chugh has claimed in his petition that the university’s order against him is against the principles of natural justice and that the disciplinary authority also failed to inform him about the allegations and charges.
Therefore, Chugh demands that the memorandum and notice be quashed which claim that Chugh was involved in violation of law and order. He has demanded an interim stay on the memorandum.
PK/ANM
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