Outside Vishwavidyalaya Metro station, Thursday. PTI
Demanding a rollback of the Metro fare hike, students of various Delhi University colleges Thursday “occupied” the Vishwavidyalaya Metro station for around three hours and raised slogans. The protest, “Occupy Vishwavidyalaya”, was led by AISA and also saw the presence of the SFI. Raising slogans such as “mehengi Metro nahi chalegi” (costly metro will not be allowed) and “paee paee occupy (occupy every inch)”, the students demanded a rollback of the fare hike and sought concessional passes.
After hours of blocking gate number 3 of the Metro station, students attempted to block the main road by forming a human chain. The Delhi Police force and CISF personnel deployed at the Metro station, however, removed them from the roads, resulting in a scuffle between the police and students. Soon after the protest began, Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA DUSU president, said: “We will occupy the gate till somebody from the central government or DMRC gives us an assurance that the fare hike will be rolled back. Until then, we won’t move from here.”
However, when no senior official came to meet the protesters, they decided to block the road in front of the Metro station. Students were then “forcibly” moved away from the spot.
Y Vashisht, Senior Manager (Operations) DMRC eventually came to meet students. He was handed over a memorandum enlisting the demands. The DMRC official promised students that he will put forward their demands to his seniors. The students, however, said they would give DMRC a week to roll back the hike else they will protest outside the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister’s residences.
Kaur told Vashisht, “If our demands are not met in a week then even bigger protests will take place at the CM’s and PM’s houses. Abhi toh Yeh Jhanki Hai, CM-PM ka Gherao Baaki Hai.” Students said the fare hike has affected their budget. “I commute from Kashmere Gate to Vishwavidyalaya every day. The fares have really gone up. Now a recharge of Rs 200 on my Metro card doesn’t last for more than three-four days,” said Md Atif, a Hindu College student.