JOIN US'College alumni break Hindu rules, get high on premises'
Delhi University’s Hindu College hostel warden alleged that the college premises had turned into a drinking den during an alumni meet held on July 13 to raise funds for Uttarakhand floods tragedy, despite prohibition of liquor and smoking in academic institutions.
Warden, Poonam Sethi said Hindu College premises was converted into a drinking den in the name of hostel alumni meet. It was a fundraiser for Uttarakhand victims.
“As the warden, I did not give permission for the event because of drinking that went on freely in the past two years. Permission has been given by the officiating principal,” Poonam Sethi said in her phone message to vice chancellor after the principal did not respond to the issue.
Sethi said keeping in mind the past experience of the premises being misused for drinking and smoking, the hostel committee had unanimously turned down the request of allowing liquor and a night stay in the hostel. A copy of the same was also sent to the chairman of governing body.
“However, the principal suo motu allowed the function to happen. The principal also wrote to me to take appropriate steps in my capacity as warden to ensure that no trespassing of the hostel premises takes place, as if hostel and college are two independent units,” added Sethi.
“Although, the programme was organised in the name of Uttarakhand tragedy, yet before the happening of the event the entire social networking site was flooded with comments as if there was going to be a ‘fun party’ with discussion on cocktail, dinner and fun. The massive tragedy was reduced to a ridicule,” she said.
“This was obviously not expected from members of alumni who have been holding positions of power and dignity since several decades,” she wrote. She also alleged that ex-warden’s house on the hostel premises, which he is yet to vacate, was also used for drinking and some students also joined later.
Sethi said a part of the fundraising money was used for the meet. From 10 pm that night, people were drinking inside their cars parked outside the college. It is a residential campus which has children, students, women and old persons who may wish to go for a walk at night, she added.
“Around 45 minutes later after sending messages to the principal, colleagues and VC, the party got over. Three men barged into the hostel. Two of them came to my room and started telling me how I have ruined the entire programme,” she added.
As drinking and staying at the hostel was not allowed she was abused and verbally harassed on one of the alumni pages of a social networking site, Sethi alleged.
The warden has demanded strict action and has sent letters to Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, chief minister Sheila Dikshit and UPA president Sonia Gandhi.
The college principal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.