Rohtak: By road, Delhi University in the national capital is about 80km from Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak, a journey of less than two hours by car. But it took more than 11 years for one of the country’s prominent student-led feminist campaigns to cover the same distance.‘Pinjra Tod’, the student-led feminist campaign that began at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia and Delhi University in 2015 against restrictive rules and early curfews for women, reached MDU on Thursday, with female hostel residents protesting for 24-hour access to the varsity’s central library reading hall, which is available to male students.The students marched across the campus and surrounded the vice-chancellor’s office. The administration sent hostel wardens and other officials for talks, but the discussions failed to resolve the issue, prompting the students to continue their protest.The protesters questioned the administration’s argument that keeping the reading hall closed to female students at night was necessary for security. They said the university should ensure security for all students rather than restrict women’s access. Male students also joined the march in support of the demand.The students alleged that officials during the talks suggested they wanted to remain outside at night to be with male students, which they said reflected a patriarchal approach.The university said reading rooms were available in the girls’ hostels. The protesters, however, said these lacked adequate space and chairs, and pointed out that male students had access to both their hostel reading rooms and the central library round the clock.The MDU protest comes amid a series of recent demonstrations by women students in Delhi over safety, access and restrictions. Hundreds of Delhi University students marched on Sept 29 demanding safer public spaces and greater accountability following the alleged gangrape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park. Similar protests had been held near women’s colleges including Lady Shri Ram, Gargi and Kamala Nehru College.
