Hyderabad University Imposes Rs 5,000 Fine on 3 Students for Organising 'Shaheen Bagh Night'

Hyderabad: 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a statement said the order or circular was arbitrary and they would not follow it and demanded that the fine imposed be withdrawn unconditionally.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 permitted in 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.