The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s student wing, Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP), has demanded strong action from University of Delhi authorities to protect teachers after a shocking incident in which a professor was assaulted on campus. Former Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) President and head of AAP’s national teachers’ wing, Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra, condemned the attack on Dr. Sujeet Kumar, a Commerce professor at Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, calling it “an attack on the entire teaching community.”
Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra urged the university to immediately suspend the students involved and ensure strict police action. “ASAP strongly condemns this assault. Delhi University and college administrations must take decisive steps to prevent such incidents from recurring,” he said.
Addressing a press conference at the AAP headquarters, alongside ASAP’s Kuldeep Bidhuri and DUTA Executive Member Dr. Dhanraj Meena, Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra said that on Thursday, a shameful incident took place at Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College of University of Delhi (DU). Under the leadership of DUSU Joint Secretary Deepika Jha, several workers barged into the Principal’s office — all of which has been captured on CCTV. There, Dr. Sujeet Kumar, Professor in the Commerce Department and Convenor of the Discipline Committee, was assaulted.
Explaining the administrative structure of the college, Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra said that the college administration functions through the Staff Council, which forms various committees. “Professor Sujeet Kumar took disciplinary action against certain students for misconduct, and in retaliation, he was attacked and slapped. This slap was not just on Dr. Sujeet Kumar — it was on the entire teaching community. Words fall short in condemning this act of violence,” he said.
Recalling past incidents, Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra said, “In the 1990s, Dr. M.N. Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Examination at Shraddhanand College, was shot dead for catching students cheating during exams. There were questions raised about the transparency of examinations, but he was killed for simply doing his duty. In Madhya Pradesh, Professor Sabharwal was beaten to death in broad daylight. We had opposed that incident too. Last year, there were cases of misbehavior with teachers at Law Faculty and Khalsa College. In 2017, even a respected woman academic — a law expert and Dean of Law Faculty — had hot tea thrown at her. We are failing to take such incidents seriously and adequate action is never taken.”
Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra added, “As a result, today no teacher can enter a classroom with a gun or a bulletproof vest. We are not demanding police protection, but on Thursday, ABVP-affiliated students held a press conference accusing Dr. Sujeet Kumar of being at fault. This is absurd. I have known Dr. Sujeet Kumar for a long time — he is a sincere and dutiful teacher. If this environment of insecurity continues, what moral authority will teachers have left? Internal assessments carry 70 marks, but teachers will be pressured — ‘give marks or get beaten.’ This is jungle raj. Both teachers and campuses have become unsafe. If this can happen to teachers, it must be happening to students too. This must end.”
Emphasizing that teachers do not wish harm upon students, Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra said, “We want them to study and succeed in life, but our decency should not be mistaken for weakness. We strongly condemn this attack. The Delhi University administration and Proctorial team must take immediate action. The students involved must be suspended, and the College Governing Body must initiate disciplinary proceedings. Since the assault took place inside the Principal’s office while the professor was discharging his duties, police action must follow.”
Dr. Aditya Narayan Mishra further informed that the Governing Body meeting was scheduled for today and that DUTA organized a flash protest outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office, where hundreds of teachers gathered. “This turnout reflects the deep anger and anguish within the teaching fraternity,” he said.
