(Editor: Abhishek Sharma)
On Thursday, 26 September, BHU students launched an indefinite hunger strike to demand better facilities and safety for women on campus. Their protests come hot on the heels of the University’s decision to send sexual harassment accused Zoology professor SK Chaubey on an early retirement.
The students have decided to ‘keep protesting till their demands are met with’. But, what exactly are their demands?
“The strike is about some fundamental issues that students have, which include a ‘hostel-for-all facility. The BHU Central Library should be open 24 hours, the necessary books for students should be made available in adequate quantities. There should be at least 1,000 seats in the Cyber Library.”Nitish Kumar, BHU Student
“Apart from this, there are very important women-related issues at the University. GSCASH, which is a committee against sexual harassment prescribed by the UGC, should be implemented. Sanitary napkin vending machines should be installed in every hostel. Similarly, there should be toilets for women in every department. Additional support must be given to the disabled people,” Kumar added.
The protesting students are ‘appalled’ by the fact that authorities have still not taken stock of things.
“Yesterday evening, some people from the Proctorial Board came. They observed our hunger strike. We told them what our demands were. But, ever since then, no one from the administration has come to check up on us. They haven’t even come to us once since then, to understand exactly what it is that we are demanding. They are trying to muzzle our voices. Apart from a medical team, no other team has come to us yet.”Aakanksha, BHU Student
The students have been missing their classes since Thursday.
“We are not going to classes because we have been sitting here, demanding our rights. We sat all day and all night, and will continue to sit until our demands are heard and addressed.”Ayushi Bhushan, BHU Student
The authorities are yet to respond to the demands.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)