Hyderabad varsity imposes Rs 5 000 fine on 3 students for

organising 'Shaheen Bagh Night'
Hyderabad, Feb 21 (PTI) The University of Hyderabad has
fined three students Rs 5,000 each for organising a 'Shaheen
Bagh Night' event against the Citizenship Amendment Act on the
campus after 9 pm in violation of varsity regulations.
The students union has condemned the move.
The fine was imposed through an a university order dated
February 18 as the students organised the event on January 31
after 9 pm at North Shopping Complex and also allegedly
defaced the walls at the site, university sources said.
    "The students are sternly warned to be cautious and
focus on their studies in future.
Recurrence of such incidents or indulging in any act of
indiscipline would have serious repercussions on their
academic career with strong disciplinary action," the order
said.
    Condemning the varsity action, the students union in a
statement said the order or circular was arbitrary and they
would not follow it and demanded that the fine imposed be
withdrawn unconditionally.
"HCUSU (Hyderabad Central University Students Union)
also assures the student community that we will not bow down
to the administration at any cost and will take any and every
possible step to safeguard the democratic interests of the
students," the note said.
     A spokesperson of the University said the institution
recognises the right of recognised student bodies to organise
meetings or protests, in designated spaces without disrupting
normal academic, administrative and residential life of a
large number of teaching and non-teaching staff and their
families who live on the campus.
    "It is in that context that three students were fined
for violating standing regulations of the University that no
meetings and protests would be permittedin public spaces of
the campus after 9 pm," the varsity official said.
The event which began at 9 pm went on till 2.30 am.
    There was also photographic and video evidence of
these students "blatantly refusing" to abide by the
regulations on defacing of campus structures, the official
said.
He hoped that all students will abide by some basic
institutional norms and make the campus a space for healthy,
democratic debates and discussions.
    When contacted, University Registrar P Sardar Singh
said there was no deadline set by the administration to pay
the fine. PTI GDK BN
BN BN

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)