Students at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) have accused the administration of obstructing their plans to hold a programme focused on political prisoners detained under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The event, organised in partnership with the Progressive Reading Circle and the Fraternity Movement, was scheduled to mark Jatin Das Martyrdom Day and Political Prisoners Day but was ultimately denied permission.
According to organisers, the administration described the event as “anti-government” and referred to the activists featured in the programme’s promotional material as “rioters.” Despite previous similar events being conducted at other central universities, EFLU officials reportedly refused consent and warned students of possible disciplinary action.
An organiser from the Fraternity Movement said the university’s intervention began soon after the event posters were released, when students were summoned to the proctor’s office and asked to route permission requests through the student union. Further discussions with senior officials—including the proctorial board, dean of students, and deputy dean of student welfare—reinforced the ban, with the administration repeating their objections and disparaging the activists shown on the posters.
The planned event spotlighted prominent UAPA detainees such as anti-CAA activists Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fathima, Umar Khalid, and Khalid Saifi; Bhima Koregaon accused Jyoti Jagtap; Adivasi rights campaigner Suneeta Pottam; journalist Rejaz M. Sydeek; and others.
Students raised concerns that the university’s move represents a shrinking space for democratic dialogue, alleging the use of surveillance to monitor and prevent the gathering. One organiser described the climate as one where “democratic spaces in central universities like EFLU are rapidly eroding under administrative and state pressure,” with dissent—especially around politically sensitive topics—being actively suppressed.
In a joint statement, the Progressive Reading Circle, Fraternity Movement EFLU, MSF EFLU Hyderabad, and NSUI EFLU condemned the decision, calling it emblematic of the administration’s “undemocratic tendencies” and expressing alarm over the narrowing of avenues for political discussion on campus.
They argued that commemorating historic revolutionaries like Jatin Das should be accompanied by critical conversations about contemporary activists imprisoned for challenging state power. Highlighting the criminalisation of dissent under laws like the UAPA, they insisted such programmes are vital for preserving democratic engagement within academic spaces.
Students also pointed to what they described as inconsistent treatment of student groups, noting that while their programmes faced obstruction, the ABVP—widely viewed as aligned with the ruling Hindu nationalist movement—regularly receives permission without restrictions. This, they claimed, signals an institutional bias that privileges certain ideologies while stifling others.
Further, some students accused the administration of promoting a political narrative through sanctioned events, such as a Partition Remembrance Day exhibition they allege echoed Hindu nationalist propaganda by blaming the Muslim League for Partition and downplaying colonial and communal factors.
Last year, they recalled, a Palestine solidarity event was similarly blocked and met with threats of disciplinary action, underscoring a pattern of suppressing student activism deemed politically inconvenient.
The collective warned that these actions contribute to the “saffronisation” of university campuses, where Hindu nationalist influences increasingly shape academic and cultural spaces. They cautioned that such trends undermine democratic principles by silencing dissent and transforming educational institutions into platforms for majoritarian ideologies.
In their view, this clampdown on free expression and political critique signals a troubling erosion of academic freedom at EFLU and beyond.
