Moral policing spoils fun night at IIT-Madras

April 6, 2012

madras


Chennai, April 6: Indian Institute of Technology-Madras has introduced a new moral code of conduct on campus, prompting protests by students who believe that the authorities are playing spoilsport. The code seeks to put curbs on the annual 'hostel night', when students are allowed to bring in friends and make merry without the prying warden around.

Among the rules that the students were notified about is: "You should keep your door open when guests are inside on hostel night." It is a once-a-year custom in all IITs when students are allowed to bring guests to their rooms.

When the students protested, IIT-M called a general body meeting on March 26, which turned out to be a stage for hot arguments and moralizing by many faculty members.

At the meeting, a senior faculty member referred to the disagreement over the new open-door rule. "What do you want to do in that private space?" he asked a student who said hostel day should provide some private space. The student answered, "I want to talk to my friends," sending the audience into splits. The faculty member replied, "Students should behave as if their parents are with them."

Probably unaware of the Supreme Court observation that it is not a crime for a man and a woman to live together without being married, a senior professor, who represents the hostel wardens, said premarital relationships were not allowed under Indian laws. So, he said, the doors should remain open, and celebrations should end at 10.30pm.

Students are upset over IIT-M move to put curbs on hostel night celebrations. A student commented: "I forgot we are adults and mature enough to decide on sex and relationships." A final-year student said it is unfortunate that an institution which stood for progressive thoughts was getting involved in moral policing.

Dean L S Ganesh said the new rules were not to curb the students' freedom, but to maintain order.

"Relationships are individual choice and I don't believe that premarital relationships are an offence. The statement by the professor was made in a different context," he said.


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Agencies
May 19,2020

Yavatmal, May 19: Four migrant workers were killed and 15 others were injured after a bus they were travelling in crashed into a truck in Yavatmal on Tuesday morning.

The bus was travelling from Solapur to Jharkhand. More details are currently awaited.

This comes amid nationwide COVID-19 lockdown has been extended to May 31, albeit with some relaxations.

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Agencies
January 6,2020

New Delhi, Jan 6: A blind student who is pursuing research in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was also attacked by the mob that perpetrated violence in the University yesterday.

"I thought that the mob which came yesterday would disperse after raising a few slogans but they indulged in violence. They were targeting ABVP students. They beat me with sticks and rods. When I went to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, I came to know that there are many other injured students there," Surya Prakash, the blind student pursuing research in the University told ANI.

"I talked to my family members. They are really worried about the situation here. I qualified in the National Eligibility Test (NET) last year but I want to study and hence I am continuing research in JNU. How can we do anything in this atmosphere of fear? I am receiving calls from anonymous numbers threatening me not to come in front of the media. They are saying that as I am blind, I would become the face of this case," he added.

Another PhD student, Santosh Bhagat recounted his experience.

"In the evening at around 7 pm, many masked men entered the hostel. They had rods and sticks in their hands. We tried to go out but the attackers had entered the premises by then. I locked my room from inside but the attackers broke the door and entered my room and attacked me. They pushed me from the first floor and I fell down and sustained an injury. Later, I took shelter at one of the Professor's flat. Later, I was taken to the AIIMS Trauma Cantre," Bhagat said.

On Sunday evening, more than 30 students of the university, including JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh, were injured and were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered the JNU and attacked them and professors with sticks and rods.

The JNU administration and political leaders, cutting across political lines, condemned the attack on students and urged the police to take action against the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the situation remained tense but peaceful outside JNU on Monday morning as the university guards maintained a strict vigil at the gate, checking I-cards of all those entering the university.

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News Network
June 5,2020

Jun 5: The fear of contracting COVID-19 infection allegedly forced a 65-year-old man to commit suicide in Maharashtra's Beed district, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred at Mangewadi in Patoda on Thursday, when a passerby found the body of Asaram Pote hanging from a tree in his farm, an official said.

The police were immediately alerted and Pote's body was brought down in the presence of his relatives and locals, he said.

A suicide note was found on the deceased's person, in which he said that he had taken the extreme step as he was scared of contracting COVID-19 infection and no one should be held responsible for his death, the official said.

A case of accidental death was registered in this regard and further probe was underway, he added.

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