CONDEMN THE IRRATIONAL DECISION OF PU AUTHORITIES!!!
RISE AGAINST THE PATRIARCHAL ATTITUDE OF THE AUTHORITIES!!!
Students For Society (SFS) today protested against the decision of PU authorities to install grills in the girls' hostel. The university authorities, to
address the issue of rising no. of suicides, have taken a decision to install
grills in the balconies of girls’ hostels.
The decision is totally irrational and not at all justified. Installation
of grills doesn’t seem to be a solution at all. Rather it will further confine
an already distressed person.
Instead University needs to think of
plausible solutions to the issue addressing the causes behind it.
Discrimination and violence against girls does
exist in the campus and comes to the fore in varied forms be it in the form of
eve-teasing and harassment. Further in the name of security they are locked up
in the hostels before specified timings. Due to the prevailing patriarchy in
the institution girls already have a very less scope for interaction. This
decision is an expression of the same gender bias. The decision to install
grills will serve to further isolate them and subject them to suffocation.
It is too ironical that the
authorities are not trying to understand the psychological conditions of girl
students and on the contrary girls are further being caged behind the grills.
It is also a tragedy that PU does not try to follow democratic environment of
DU or JNU for girls where they enjoy more freedom.
SFS leader Amandeep Kaur said, “The
attitude of the authorities is anti-women. The decision is totally irrational
as it will not solve the issue of rising number of suicides, on the contrary it
will further confine an already distressed person to isolation. Already there
is very limited space for girls; the decision will further have a crippling
effect on their psyche.”
SFS General Secretary Damanpreet
said, “The discontent among students is rising, compelling them to take
such unfortunate actions. The authorities need to address the cause behind the
issue. We demand that active platform/bodies be formed to counsel the students.
Also there is need to activate the eternally dormant women cell to address the
issue of girl students.”
The decision has provoked resentment
in the residents of the girls’ hostels. Students condemned the decision saying
that the decision is not at all justified as a solution to address the issue of
rising number of suicides in the university. The organization alleged that
authorities, instead of addressing the causes behind the issue, are trying to
escape from their responsibility by taking such irrational decisions.
We demand:
1.
The decision to install grills in the girls’ hostels
should be revoked immediately.
2.
Proper platform/body should be made to address the
grievances and counsel the students which would be active and work
democratically.
3.
The eternally dormant “Women Cell” be made functional
and “Sexual Harassment Committees” be formed which would act democratically
with considerable participation of students.
4.
As eve-teasing is rampant on the campus, whose main
reason is the long queue of cars roaming outside the girls’ hostels. The entry
of four-wheelers should be banned, at least in the vicinity of the girls’ hostels.