Students protest use of DU's Hansraj College facilities for wedding of principal’s son

NEW DELHI: Several students staged a protest at Delhi University's Hansraj College on Monday against the principal using college facilities for the wedding of her son even as they allegedly remained inaccessible to students.

Members of the Left-affiliated Students' Federation of India (SFI) also objected to the use of the college hostel — it has remained closed to students for over a year after being declared structurally unfit — to accommodate guests during the event.

They alleged that the college sports ground has been unavailable for the ongoing Khelo Hansraj tournament because of the wedding and that practice sessions have been shifted to other venues.

Photographs shared on social media show sections of the hostel decorated with flowers and temporary fittings, while photos of the sports ground show catering setups, decorative arches and temporary structures.

Asikul Islam, SFI secretary of Hansraj College, said, "Students face a ban on using the college ground for sports after 4 pm. It is also routinely denied for holding freshers' welcome and farewell. Even the tournament has been rescheduled to accommodate this private event. Most outrageously, the hostel, shuttered for a year after being declared unfit for living, has been repurposed as a guest house for wedding guests."

Student representatives said the issue reflects a wider concern across many Delhi University institutes, pointing to earlier instances when college infrastructure had allegedly been used for such private functions. They demanded a complete ban on private events on campuses.

Prof Rama, principal of Hansraj College, did not respond to calls and messages from TOI seeking her comment. When contacted, Vikas Gupta, the university registrar, acknowledged that the use of college infrastructure for private functions has been a common practice in some institutes.