DUSU joint secy caught on video slapping college professor

A massive controversy erupted on the campus of BR Ambedkar College here on Thursday after Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) joint secretary Deepika Jha of the ABVP was caught on video slapping a professor.

After evidence of the assault on Prof Sujit Kumar, convenor of the disciplinary committee of BR Ambedkar College, surfaced, teachers were up in arms demanding action.

Following the altercation, all members of the college's disciplinary committee tendered their resignations, citing concerns over safety.

A college professor privately said a candidate from the Congress-linked National Students' Union of India (NSUI) had recently won the post of president in the college student council elections while the ABVP bagged two posts.

This professor alleged that the NSUI winner was assaulted by ABVP supporters and filed a complaint which the committee under Sujit Kumar's convenership was investigating, besides other matters of campus violence involving ABVP cadres.

The Delhi Teachers' Forum (DTF) demanded a high-level enquiry into the incident.

In a statement, the teachers' body said: "The DUSU joint secretary slapped Prof Sujit Kumar, and several teachers were manhandled at BR Ambedkar College, DU."

The incident, which took place around 4:20 pm, was captured on CCTV. The DTF added said the DUSU president and the joint secretary today barged into the college with over 50 students.

"Teachers were manhandled. They asked for the resignation of the convener of the disciplinary committee," it said. The DTF condemned the incident, saying teachers cannot function if they cannot be protected.

"We condemn this act of the DUSU president and the joint secretary in the strongest terms. We find it absurd that the police did not intervene effectively."

Demanding immediate action, the forum said: "We demand a university-level inquiry into the matter and strict action against the student. DU cannot be lost to violence and mob culture."

Deepika Jha, when contacted, denied allegations of unprovoked assault.

She said, "That teacher was staring at me continuously for 15-20 minutes. When I told him twice not to look at me like that, he said, 'I'm looking at you right now, and I'll look at you outside as well.' I felt bad and told him that this was not the right way to talk. I also tried to explain that he shouldn't smoke on the campus - his video had already gone viral while smoking. Instead of understanding, he misbehaved with me".

She quoted him as saying: "I have seen many like you. I know you very well.' Despite all this, he is now running a false narrative that he was slapped, while no one is talking about how he misbehaved with a woman."

The incident has divided opinions on the campus, with teachers demanding accountability for the alleged assault, while ABVP members insisting that the professor's behavior provoked the confrontation. The university administration is yet to issue an official statement.