‘Is Writing to PM A Crime,’ Ask Students Expelled from Wardha Univ

A mass event was organised by students to write letters to the prime minister.

Six students were expelled from Wardha University following protests against the administration. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Six students of Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi Viswavidyalaya (MGAHV) in Wardha, Maharashtra, have allegedly been expelled following protests against the varsity administration. The protests were staged after the administration purportedly tried to stop students from organising an event to write letters to the prime minister.

According to a letter issued by MGAHV administration, dated Wednesday, 9 October, the students have been expelled on the grounds of ‘violation of model code of conduct’ and ‘interference to administrative process’.

A press release issued by students body All India Students Association (AISA) suggests that the letters touched upon “mob lynching, sell out of PSUs, silencing of Kashmir and shielding of rape accused leaders”, among other issues.

In response to the university’s action, one of the expelled students said that the action is shocking and based on flimsy grounds.

“We are being told that we didn’t seek prior permission, but what permission is required to write a letter to the prime minister of our own country? We didn’t even get the opportunity to defend ourselves.”

Chandan Saroj, One of Six Expelled Students

HOW THINGS STARTED?

Students of the university organised a mass event on Wednesday to write letters to PM Modi. In a release issued by student leader Chandan Saroj on Wednesday, it was stated that the event was organised protesting the sedition charge that was slapped against 49 eminent personalities for writing an open letter to the PM on mob lynchings.

Notably, the sedition case was later ordered to be closed by the Bihar Police on Wednesday,

WHAT HAPPENED THEN?

According to Saroj's release, while students did write letters to the PM, the university administration attempted to stall the event.

"The administration deployed heavy security and stopped students from entering Gandhi Hill. The students then staged a sit-in at the gate of Gandhi Hill and raised slogans," the release said.

WHY WERE THE STUDENTS EXPELLED?

Following the protest, the university allegedly suspended six students including Chandan Saroj. The other expelled students named in the circular are Neeraj Kumar, Rajesh Sarthi, Rajnish Ambedkar, Pankaj Vela and Vaibhav Pimpalkar.

However, the expulsion letter does not mention anything about the event and cites ‘violation of model code of conduct’ and ‘interference to administrative process’, as reasons behind the move.

Moreover, the college administration had earlier denied permission to hold the event under the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.

Expulsion letter issued to six students(Photo: The Quint)

However, speaking to The Quint, MGAHV authorities refused to comment specifically on the grounds of expulsion and said that they have been mentioned in the two letters issued.

WHAT ARE THE STUDENTS SAYING?

Students are alleging that this is an attempt by the university administration to suppress voices of dissent. Rajesh Sarathi, an ex-student who was ‘expelled’, has come out to say that the university administration was in such a hurry to act that they couldn’t even distinguish between current and former students.

“It’s very surprising that I have been expelled. I am a former student. I came here only to collect my migration certificate. I’ve always been a progressive student and have participated in such progressive activities. You can yourself analyse how the University was in a hurry to take action that they weren’t able to identify between regular and ex-students. The university administration has turned dictatorial and they want to suppress voices against RSS.”

Rajesh Sarathi, a former student who has been expelled

The AISA press release stated that the "alleged crime" of the students was "was to write letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the present situation in the country."

The release also claimed that all the students “belong to socially marginalised background”.

(With inputs from Akanksha Kumar and Himanshi Dahiya.)