DU Condemns Rahul Gandhi's Unannounced Visit, BJP Calls It 'Circus For...'

The university condemned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit in an official press release from the proctor's office, highlighting a series of incidents that took place during his stay.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was criticised for his unannounced visit to the Delhi University.

Source : PTI

Congress leader and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday made an unannounced visit to Delhi University's North Campus, following which the university expressed its objection to the visit, calling it a breach of institutional protocol and a disruption of student governance operations. 

The university's Proctor, Professor Rajni Abbi said in a statement that this was the second time that Rahul Gandhi arrived without prior intimation to the university authorities. 

The university condemned the Congress leader's visit in an official press release from the proctor's office, highlighting a series of incidents that took place during his stay. "Today Rahul Gandhi came to University of Delhi without any information to the authorities. He stayed in the DUSU Office for almost one hour. During this time, the DUSU [Delhi University Students Union] was cordoned by security cover. Rahul Gandhi has done this for the second time for coming to the University without any intimation and information to University of Delhi," the release noted.

According to the release, the Congress leader stayed inside the DUSU office for almost an hour, during which the security personnel cordoned off the area. The visit was criticised for disrupting the functioning of a key student body.

The university further alleged that several students were locked inside the DUSU Secretary’s room and were “misbehaved with” by members of Congress's student wing, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). 

"The DUSU office was cordoned off by security cover and no one was allowed to enter," it said, adding that the DUSU secretary was also barred from accessing her office. "Some students were locked in the room of the secretary, DUSU, and were misbehaved with by NSUI students," it further claimed.

"The University condemns such action and hopes that this does not happen in future. Strict action will be taken against students who were involved in this," the release further said.

During his visit, Rahul Gandhi interacted with students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes at the DUSU president's office in Delhi University's North Campus, focusing on issues of representation, equality, and academic justice, news agency PTI reported.

In a similar incident in May 2023, Rahul Gandhi visited a Post-Graduate Men's Hostel of the Delhi University without prior announcement. He interacted and had lunch with the hostel residents. Following his "sudden" visit, a notice was issued by the hostel provost saying "such a conduct from a leader of a National Party who has Z-plus security is beyond dignity".

BJP Reacts To Rahul Gandhi's DU Visit 

The BJP took a jibe at the Rahul Gandhi's DU visit, saying that he turned the campus into a circus for a "surprise photo-op". BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya alleged that the visit threw the campus into chaos as it was caught off guard.

Malviya also shared a video clip of a woman angrily questioning the Congress leader on X, and wrote: "But amidst the staged optics, the real moment came when angry students confronted him -- demanding answers about his remarks on Pahalgam, questioning the intent behind casting aspersions on our security forces and Operation Sindoor."

"At a time when the entire nation is united behind our brave soldiers, the Congress would do well to remember: India is watching. And it won't forget these games," Malviya added.