New Delhi, July 17: Under the watchful eyes of college seniors to prevent ragging, the first day of college for Delhi University freshers was full of the usual college buzz.
Smartly dressed, the freshers explored the college canteen at North Campus, attended orientation functions and visited the students’ favourite haunt — the Kamla Nagar market.
Both Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and National Student Union of India (NSUI), meanwhile, set up squads to keep ragging at bay. The NSUI even took out an anti-ragging rally at the North Campus. “We wanted to spread awareness against ragging,” said Ragini Naik, NSUI General Secretary.
The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) also plans to hold an Anti-Ragging Week starting July 17 and its president Nupur Sharma said it will conclude with a rally on July 24.
The move by various students’ groups, however, is being seen as mere publicity tactics, since DU will be holding its students’ union election in the first week of September.
The Delhi Police also implemented various measures for security. Video cameras were installed at various locations in DU and plainclothes police personnel patrolled the colleges. Sagarpreet Hooda, DCP (North), said no case of ragging or eve teasing was registered on Day One.
The ‘introductory’ sessions for the freshers, however, were held as per tradition. At Bhagat Singh College, few freshers said they were asked for their introduction, but everything happened on a “light” note. The college hostels, meanwhile, are still devoid of freshers who are scared of joining claiming ragging mostly happens at night in hostels.
–Agencies