‘Thought educating was your job’: Delhi University criticised for asking students to not join the protests at Jantar Mantar
Students' protest: PM Narendra Modi announced that a bill containing provisions for strong action against paper leaks will be introduced in Parliament next week
- Jul 24, 2026,
- Updated Jul 24, 2026 10:16 AM IST
Students' protest: University of Delhi, in a social media post, asked its students to refrain from joining the protests at Jantar Mantar. This comes after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said it was relieved that Sonam Wangchuk had ended his hunger strike but asserted that the protests would continue till Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.
Delhi University said joining the protests could lead to legal action and also “significantly impact their academic progress”. This did not go down well with social media users, who called it a veiled threat.
“Dear students and faculty, your safety matters to us. Please note that any unlawful assemblies or demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, which are strictly regulated as per the directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, may invite legal action. Such activities can also pose serious risks to students’ personal safety and significantly impact their academic progress and professional opportunities,” it said, asking students to “stay away from Jantar Mantar and to prioritise their safety and compliance with the law”. It also said that there was a “significant amount of fake and misleading content being created and circulated to fuel the situation”.
“Veiled threat by an University page where students are taught about freedom, liberty ?” said a user, while another added, “This is blackmail…You guys are not ready to learn, isnt it? How dare you threaten student with academic repercussions?”
“Could you clarify if you are threatening students and faculty if they participate in the constitutionally-guaranteed right of a citizen to peaceful protest?” asked one. “I don’t understand how, as an educational institution, you’re asking your students not to exercise their constitutional rights. I understand that their safety is important, but if they’re mature enough to understand what’s right and wrong in the country, I’m sure they’re capable of looking after themselves,” said yet another user.
“A University cannot decide what their students should do outside the campus,” said a social media user. “What have we come to?” lamented another. While one said, “India is a democratic country, has Delhi University forgotten? Students, teachers and staff all can protest if they want. Stop threatening the students,” another added, “You should be ashamed of posting this message under pressure from the government. This does not sound like a concern for students. It sounds like fear of losing positions and pleasing those in power.”
“I thought educating was your job. Maybe you need to read the Constitution yourself,” said a user, while another quipped: “The best way to keep students away from protests is to remove the reasons they protest.”
Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi announced that a bill containing provisions for strong action against paper leaks will be introduced in Parliament next week. In a video message, Modi said the contours of the bill will be discussed at a meeting of the Union Cabinet on Friday, where the proposed legislation will be finalised.
Students' protest: University of Delhi, in a social media post, asked its students to refrain from joining the protests at Jantar Mantar. This comes after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) said it was relieved that Sonam Wangchuk had ended his hunger strike but asserted that the protests would continue till Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.
Delhi University said joining the protests could lead to legal action and also “significantly impact their academic progress”. This did not go down well with social media users, who called it a veiled threat.
“Dear students and faculty, your safety matters to us. Please note that any unlawful assemblies or demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, which are strictly regulated as per the directives of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, may invite legal action. Such activities can also pose serious risks to students’ personal safety and significantly impact their academic progress and professional opportunities,” it said, asking students to “stay away from Jantar Mantar and to prioritise their safety and compliance with the law”. It also said that there was a “significant amount of fake and misleading content being created and circulated to fuel the situation”.
“Veiled threat by an University page where students are taught about freedom, liberty ?” said a user, while another added, “This is blackmail…You guys are not ready to learn, isnt it? How dare you threaten student with academic repercussions?”
“Could you clarify if you are threatening students and faculty if they participate in the constitutionally-guaranteed right of a citizen to peaceful protest?” asked one. “I don’t understand how, as an educational institution, you’re asking your students not to exercise their constitutional rights. I understand that their safety is important, but if they’re mature enough to understand what’s right and wrong in the country, I’m sure they’re capable of looking after themselves,” said yet another user.
“A University cannot decide what their students should do outside the campus,” said a social media user. “What have we come to?” lamented another. While one said, “India is a democratic country, has Delhi University forgotten? Students, teachers and staff all can protest if they want. Stop threatening the students,” another added, “You should be ashamed of posting this message under pressure from the government. This does not sound like a concern for students. It sounds like fear of losing positions and pleasing those in power.”
“I thought educating was your job. Maybe you need to read the Constitution yourself,” said a user, while another quipped: “The best way to keep students away from protests is to remove the reasons they protest.”
Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi announced that a bill containing provisions for strong action against paper leaks will be introduced in Parliament next week. In a video message, Modi said the contours of the bill will be discussed at a meeting of the Union Cabinet on Friday, where the proposed legislation will be finalised.