HC seeks DU response to Cong student leader's plea against debarment over BBC documentary screening
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi University to file its response to a Congress students' wing leader's challenge to his debarment for alleged involvement in the screening of a banned BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the campus, observing the DU order does not reflect independent application of mind.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav granted three days' time to DU to file its counter affidavit after saying the disciplinary authority ought to have afforded an opportunity to Lokesh Chugh, Ph.D scholar and NSUI national secretary, to be heard and considered his stand.
"There has to be an independent application of mind by DU. It is not reflected in the order. You are a statutory authority. You are a university. Impugned order does not reflect application of mind. Impugned order must reflect the reasoning," the judge remarked.
The petitioner had approached the high court earlier this month challenging the varsity's decision to debar him for one year for his alleged involvement in the screening of the documentary-India: The Modi Question- related to the Godhra riots. The documentary was screened earlier this year.
Advocate M Rupal, appearing for the DU, furnished the original record pertaining to the proceedings against the petitioner before the court and said all circumstances were taken into account by the authorities before passing the debarment order.
The court, however, said the university "was trying to supplement reasoning" at this stage and asked the authorities to file a reply while listing the case for further consideration on April 24.
"You file your counter because you seek to rely on certain material," the judge said.
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha, who represented the petitioner, emphasised he was not given an opportunity to be heard. They contended the order does not reflect the material on which it was based.
They told the court the petitioner is required to submit his thesis before April 30.
The court said it will protect the interests of the parties before it and, if required, it can always direct acceptance of the thesis at a later stage.
The petitioner, also represented by lawyer Naman Joshi, has claimed in his plea he was not even present at the site of the alleged screening and the authorities had acted against him with a "premeditated mind". He has also sought permission to submit his thesis and take university examinations during the pendency of the petition.
"On 27.01.2023, there was a protest organized by few students at the Faculty of Arts (Main Campus), University of Delhi. During this protest, an allegedly banned BBC Documentary i.e. 'India: the Modi Question' was screened for public viewing. At the relevant time, the Petitioner was not present at the protest site, neither had facilitated/participated in the screening in any manner," the petition has said.
He has said to his "utter shock and dismay", a show cause notice was issued to him by the DU proctor for his "alleged involvement in law and order disturbance during the screening of the BBC documentary" and, subsequently, the DU registrar issued him a memorandum in March imposing a penalty of debarment from taking any examinations for one year.
He has said the order is liable to be set aside for absence of finding on any specific ground of indiscipline as well as for non application of mind and violation of principles of natural justice.
The petitioner has said he was not afforded any opportunity to explain his conduct and although the memorandum suggested there was a ban on the BBC documentary by the government of India, there was no such prohibition on screening.
"Respondent No. 3 (Proctor) while issuing the SCN (show cause notice) operated in a premeditated manner in so far as she had voiced her public opinion against the protests...despite there being no material on record to show Petitioner's involvement in the screening of the BBC Documentary, the petitioner has been debarred for a period of one year," the petition has stated.
"The Impugned Memorandum notably suggests that there is a ban on showing the BBC documentary by Govt. of India, which was taken cognizance by the Proctor, University of Delhi. However, to the knowledge of the Petitioner, there is no prohibition on screening of the BBC documentary," it added.
The petitioner has also alleged bias against him on the ground that six other students allegedly involved in the same incident have been asked to submit only a written apology while he has been debarred.
The plea also said police detained a few students over the alleged screening but the petitioner was neither detained nor charged with any form of incitement or violence or disturbance of peace.
"The petitioner is a sincere and meritorious student of DU, and has an exemplary academic record. Therefore the Impugned Memorandum is likely to rob the Petitioner of various academic and professional opportunities. Surely, alleged screening of the BBC Documentary cannot be a reason to deny the Petitioner a chance at academic excellence," it has said.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
