Many of us are confined to the walls of our own house amid the lockdown caused due to coronavirus outbreak. Delhi being the education hub of country houses many students from all over India, most of them living in hostels and PG’s.
Amidst the corona scare, girls from Ambedkar-Ganguly Students House for Women found themselves homeless when the hostel authorities allegedly asked them to vacate the hostel premises.
In the afternoon of 21st March, residents were allegedly asked to vacate the hostel by the warden, even though students told the authorities that they plan on staying in the hostel. Despite knowing all the dangers the students will be exposed to on traveling, the warden allegedly forced residents to leave the hostel within 2 days when even their local guardians refused to accommodate them. Arguments like food not being available and workers being exposed were made by the authorities.
A notice released by MHRD was also released stating that hostels must remain in operation for the students, however when this notice was shown to hostel authorities, they turned a blind eye.
Ankita, a resident of Ambedkar-Ganguly Students House for Women told us “I had told the warden that I plan to stay in the hostel, however, the authorities forcibly asked me to leave, I also conveyed to them that it would be difficult for me to book any transport at such notice but the authorities ignored and were reluctant”
“I was in my LG’s house when I got the notice, I had already told the hostel authorities my plan on staying in the hostel, however, they did not agree. I also agreed to get any medical check-up done but they refused and did not let me in” another hostel resident told us.
Students allege that they weren’t only forced to leave but were also threatened with disciplinary action. Amisha Nanda, one such hostel resident hailing from Himachal Pradesh narrated her experience to DU Express. On 21st March, when authorities allegedly forced her out of the hostel, she went to stay at her legal guardian’s place. However, she couldn’t stay at her guardian’s place for too long so like many other residents she decided to return to the hostel after the Press Release issued by the University of Delhi on 29th March made the residents feel that hostel authorities were lying to them.
While other hostels nearby like Rajiv Gandhi and North Eastern continue to remain fully functional, Ambedkar-Ganguly Hostel allegedly didn’t help its residents during the need of the hour. Amisha says due to her involvement in the protests earlier, the authorities have been behaving rudely with her and have also issued a notice to her.
“The guards started manhandling when I tried to enter, and warden refused to provide basic necessities like food and electricity. When I started to complain, she threatened me and mailed disciplinary action against me,” said Amisha Nanda. While she has entered the hostel now, she has been asked to remain in quarantine as a preventive measure.
While we all fight the war of coronavirus, residents of Ambedkar-Ganguly Student House For Women have another battle to fight.
Image Source – Delhi University
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