South Asian University orders Mumbai student to vacate hostel for allegedly instigating students
New Delhi: South Asian University (SAU), an international institution established by the eight member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC), has ordered a female student, Yashada Sawant, to vacate her hostel room within two days. The administration accuses her of "spreading rumours and lies and instigating students against the university.", a report published in Maktoob Media stated.
Yashada Sawant, a second-year postgraduate student from Mumbai, told Maktoob that she has not been provided with any further details regarding the accusations. With the deadline for vacating the hostel ending on Wednesday, Sawant has decided not to move out, citing her lack of a local guardian in Delhi.
Sawant, 25, stated that she had merely discussed the resignation of a senior faculty member with classmates and friends on a WhatsApp group. She recounted receiving a call from the Dean of Students’ assistant later that day, asking her to attend a meeting. During the meeting, Sawant was accused of "instigating" students, but she claims that no evidence or basis for these allegations was provided. She requested a proper inquiry, noting the absence of both the Proctor and the Dean of Students during the meeting.
Sawant told Maktoob, “They were only threatening me and not giving any proof or evidence for such allegations. After the meeting, I got an email stating that I have to vacate the hostel in two days. I don’t know how someone can make such a judgement without any inquiry.”
Maktoob said it has reviewed email correspondence between Sawant and a faculty member, in which Sawant requests a formal inquiry into the allegations before any action is taken. Despite the request, the faculty member stated that the decision to expel her from the hostel remains, without acknowledging the call for formal proceedings. SAU administration has not issued any public statement beyond the notice.
The Rokeya Collective, a student group at the university, issued a statement condemning the move as “a grave miscarriage of justice and a blatant abuse of administrative power.” The statement also highlighted past instances where students were allegedly targeted by the administration without cause. “In the past, we have seen the University administration unjustly target students like Apoorva YK, Bhimraj and Umesh Joshi, who took their cases to the High Court of India. In each of these cases, the students prevailed, and the court’s rulings unequivocally demonstrated that the South Asian University had misused its power and harassed students without any legitimate reason. These repeated judicial rebukes highlight a persistent pattern of misconduct by the University’s Administration,” the statement reads.
Earlier this year, the Delhi High Court overturned SAU’s November 2022 decision to expel two PhD students, Umesh Joshi, Apoorva Yarabhally, and Bhim Raj, for their involvement in a protest demanding a stipend hike in 2020.
In 2023, four professors from the institution faced accusations of “running a Marxist study circle and inciting student protest on campus” and were suspended over allegations of misconduct. These professors, along with nine other faculty members, had protested the university's decision to bring in police during a student protest.
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Heavy rains: Holiday declared for schools, PU colleges in Uttara Kannada, Kodagu on August 19
Karwar/Madikeri: In view of heavy rains, the Deputy Commissioner's of Uttara Kannada and Kodagu have declared a holiday for all schools and pre-university colleges on Tuesday, August 19.
Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya, in an order issued on Monday, announced that Anganwadi centers, government schools, aided institutions, private schools, and PU colleges in Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Sirsi, Siddapur, Yellapur, Joida, Dandeli, and Haliyal will remain closed to ensure the safety of students.
Similarly, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja declared a holiday for all Anganwadi centers, primary and high schools, and PU colleges across Kodagu district. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Kodagu, warning of heavy rains accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday.
The IMD has also issued an red alert for Uttara Kannada district on Tuesday.
