In the middle of the unrest in Maulana Azad National Urdu University hostel, the provost, Yusuf Khan has reportedly resigned on Thursday night at around 10 pm. Hundred Students of Maulana Azad National University (MANUU), a central university in Gachibowli, have been reportedly staging a protest since Thursday afternoon over the “unhygienic food” the mess provides. The students found “insect” in the food and that led to the protest, revealed Mohsin Usman, a first-year postgraduate journalism student.
On speaking to FoEJ Media, Mohsin further revealed that students have been raising complaints about the food for the past year, but no action has been taken.
He alleged that the proctor not only failed to address the “unhygienic food” but also misbehaved with the students when they raised concern.
“The proctor not only ignored food issues, but their behavior has also been very poor; abuse has become common for them. He even slapped former secretary, Faizan Iqbal” Mohsin said.
The protest drew massive attention and led to deployment of police on the campus to monitor it. Meanwhile, the students were reluctant about their demand for clean and hygienic food.
Proctor Accused of Abuse
The proctor and their team allegedly have faced multiple allegations of misconduct over a long period. Prior to the recent protest, a member of the proctor’s team reportedly misbehaved with a security guard. There have also been several instances where proctors allegedly abused and threatened students.
On speaking to FoEJ Meida, Mohsin said, “Even before the protest, the proctor’s behavior had not been good. They used to abuse and threaten the students”
“Once, a member of the proctor’s team also misbehaved with a guard and insulted him with abusive language.” he further said
Poor Food and Living Conditions at Gulzar Hostel
Another student Uzma informed FoEJ Media that the issue is not limited to the boys’ hostels. Similar conditions exist in the girls’ hostel (Gulzar) as well. The food at Gulzar Hostel is often excessively oily, contains insects, and is frequently described as overly spicy and unhygienic.
Uzma, a second-year BA student, said, “The food is causing a lot of health problems. Almost evergirl has PCOD or PCOS. Every other girl is facing some health issue due to the hostel food.”
Uzma further claimed that the problems extend beyond food issues. Many girls have not been assigned hostel accommodations due to a shortage of rooms. To address this, a new dormitory with a tin roof has been opened, which becomes excessively hot during the summer months.
“They opened a dormitory to accommodate the girls, but its roof is made of tin, which makes it very hot.” said Uzma
“Five girls had to share one wardrobe, and there were no beds available. When we raised the issue, no action was taken.” she added
“We searched for a bed ourselves and found one vacant bed on the first floor, which we had to carry up to the second floor. The bed was quite heavy, but the administration offered no help.” she further revealed.
Discussing other issues, Uzma alleged that girls are compelled to eat in the mess, which is consistently unhygienic. They are not permitted to take food to their rooms, even if someone is unwell.
“If you are sick, you still have to eat in the mess; you can’t take food to your room.” Uzma claimed.
She further alleged that the proctor believes the girls come from poor families, so they can treat them badly, assuming they are not accustomed to good food.
“The proctor thinks we are poor and can say anything to us or serve us anything. They believe we aren’t used to good food.” Uzma further said
Proctor’s Resignation Not Enough, Students Demand Improvements
On speaking to FoEJ Media, Uzma said, the resignation of the proctor was not the students’ primary demand. The students want the administration to address their issues, including the need for better food and improved hostel facilities.
“Changing the proctor is a secondary issue; we need good food and a decent place to live.” Uzma Said
“Even if the proctor is changed, what’s the point if the food and facilities don’t improve?” she added.
The protest has erupted widespread outrage online, with netizens taking to social media to share stories about the incident and raising concerns.
