HC sets aside DU order debarring NSUI leader over screening of BBC documentary
The Hindu
The Delhi High Court on Thursday set aside a Delhi University (DU) order debarring a Congress leader for a year for his alleged involvement in the on-campus screening of a banned BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, saying the action was taken in violation of the principle of natural justice.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday set aside a Delhi University (DU) order debarring a Congress leader for a year for his alleged involvement in the on-campus screening of a banned BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, saying the action was taken in violation of the principle of natural justice.
The documentary-'India: The Modi Question'- was seen as critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was the Gujarat Chief Minister when the communal conflagration engulfed large parts of the state.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said the DU's administrative authority did not offer Lokesh Chugh, a PhD scholar and national secretary of the Congress' students wing NSUI, an opportunity to be heard.
"The court is unable to sustain the impugned order dated March 10, 2023. Impugned order is set aside. The admission of the petitioner is restored. Necessary consequences will follow," the judge said in the order.
"From a perusal of the facts of the present case, the court finds that the impugned order has been passed without offering opportunity of hearing to the petitioner or considering his explanation," stated the judge while dealing with Mr. Chugh's petition against the debarment order.
Attorney General (AG) R. Venkataramani represented the university and opposed the petition. The court clarified since the debarment order was being set aside for non-adherence to the principle of natural justice, the university is free to taken action against the petitioner in accordance with the procedure.
The AG claimed Mr. Chugh has approached the court with "unclean hands" and has made a "completely false" statement that he was not present at the time of the screening.