Morning Voice: New Delhi: Tuesday, 28 April 2026.
Fest Violence, RTI Dispute Lead to Suspension Of 30 Students at Hansraj College
The administration of
Hansraj College has suspended around 30 students, including four office-bearers
of the students’ union, over allegations ranging from violence during the
annual fest to defaming the institution on social media, triggering a major
controversy on the campus of Delhi University.
The suspensions were issued through five separate notices between April 20 and April 25 following incidents of alleged violence, misconduct and disruption of campus order during the college’s annual fest held on April 8 and 9. Videos circulating on social media reportedly showed clashes among students during the event.
The first notice, issued on April 20, targeted former student union president Parth Srivastava, accusing him of indiscipline, defaming the institution and using derogatory language against teaching and non-teaching staff. The college said he had been given several opportunities to appear before the disciplinary committee along with his parents but failed to do so, and when he appeared on March 23, he neither acknowledged the allegations nor expressed remorse.
Srivastava rejected the charges and said the action was arbitrary, claiming he had raised questions about administrative decisions and filed RTI applications seeking information on alleged irregularities. He has also moved the Delhi High Court challenging the suspension.
Subsequent notices suspended 14 students over alleged violence and misconduct during the fest, four students for physical violence on campus, and seven students for allegedly defaming the college through social media posts that were said to have harmed the academic environment.
The final order issued on April 25 placed four elected office-bearers of the Hansraj College Students’ Union under interim suspension pending disciplinary proceedings. The orders bar the students from entering the campus except to appear for examinations and internal assessments, while the duration of suspension has not been specified.
The action has drawn sharp criticism from the Delhi University Students’ Union, which termed it a “brazen attack on student democracy” and demanded immediate revocation of the suspensions. Student groups, including the Student Federation of India, also condemned the move and called for protests, alleging the administration targeted student leaders and dissenting voices without a fair process.
The controversy comes amid wider tensions on campus that began earlier this year after protests over the alleged use of college premises for the principal’s son’s wedding, a dispute that escalated into broader questions about governance, transparency and student dissent within the institution.
Fest Violence, RTI Dispute Lead to Suspension Of 30 Students at Hansraj College
The suspensions were issued through five separate notices between April 20 and April 25 following incidents of alleged violence, misconduct and disruption of campus order during the college’s annual fest held on April 8 and 9. Videos circulating on social media reportedly showed clashes among students during the event.
The first notice, issued on April 20, targeted former student union president Parth Srivastava, accusing him of indiscipline, defaming the institution and using derogatory language against teaching and non-teaching staff. The college said he had been given several opportunities to appear before the disciplinary committee along with his parents but failed to do so, and when he appeared on March 23, he neither acknowledged the allegations nor expressed remorse.
Srivastava rejected the charges and said the action was arbitrary, claiming he had raised questions about administrative decisions and filed RTI applications seeking information on alleged irregularities. He has also moved the Delhi High Court challenging the suspension.
Subsequent notices suspended 14 students over alleged violence and misconduct during the fest, four students for physical violence on campus, and seven students for allegedly defaming the college through social media posts that were said to have harmed the academic environment.
The final order issued on April 25 placed four elected office-bearers of the Hansraj College Students’ Union under interim suspension pending disciplinary proceedings. The orders bar the students from entering the campus except to appear for examinations and internal assessments, while the duration of suspension has not been specified.
The action has drawn sharp criticism from the Delhi University Students’ Union, which termed it a “brazen attack on student democracy” and demanded immediate revocation of the suspensions. Student groups, including the Student Federation of India, also condemned the move and called for protests, alleging the administration targeted student leaders and dissenting voices without a fair process.
The controversy comes amid wider tensions on campus that began earlier this year after protests over the alleged use of college premises for the principal’s son’s wedding, a dispute that escalated into broader questions about governance, transparency and student dissent within the institution.
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