College 'cow dung episode': DU VC reflects on lessons to learn from incident

New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh on Tuesday reflected upon the impropriety behind actions of key players in the infamous “cow dung episode” involving a college principal and a student union leader that divided the Internet, hinting that there is a lesson to be learnt by all from the incident.

The controversy was sparked in Delhi University's Lakshmibai College where Principal Pratyush Vatsala applied cow dung on classroom walls in April, claiming it was a traditional method to combat heat.

The act, video recorded by the principal and shared on social media, did not go down well with people and a section of students and faculty criticised the move as unscientific and unhygienic. The incident also left people on social media divided.

As the firestorm grew wilder, Ronak Khatri, Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) President representing the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), decided to protest against the principal’s action and responded by smearing cow dung on her office wall.

On Tuesday, University VC Yogesh Singh told IANS that both sides could have adopted different, more practical ways of achieving their objectives.

“If the teacher wanted to experiment with a traditional method to beat the summer heat, she could have first started from her home or her office,” he said.

He was also dismissive of the DUSU President’s actions. “Khatri was equally in the wrong by adopting a protest technique that dates back to pre-Independence era,” he said.

"A DUSU President going there and defacing the principal's room by applying cow dung is a completely indecent thing, which should have been avoided," he said.

“Cow dung was smeared in the room of a college principal. This is not befitting of any DUSU President. He should not have done this because there are more civilised ways to protest,” said the DU VC, suggesting introspection by both the parties.

--IANS

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