The dispute arose over cockroach-themed publicity posters released by the students’ union for a four-day national conference titled ‘Discourses beyond boundaries: Sustainable future in an age of conflict,‘ held on the university campus from August 3 to August 6.
The University had earlier granted administrative sanction of ₹3.75 lakh for the conference and released ₹2.81 lakh, representing 75 per cent of the sanctioned amount as an advance. The remaining amount was to be released after submission of bills and vouchers.
However, the director of the DSW later issued a notice alleging that the conference’s posters carried political overtones and went against a prohibition on the conduct of political activities and programmes using university funds.
The notice said that the cockroach-themed posters violated the Mahatma Gandhi University Students’ Code of Conduct Rules, 2005, while directing that they be removed.
The university alleged that the conference campaign, which featured the virtual mascot of the collective, ‘Cockroach Janta Party,’ carried political overtones.
However, the students’ union maintain that the cockroach posters only portrayed a symbol of resistance.
“The issue which leads to the issuance of exhibit P2 (university notice) centres around 2 posters which, one among them depicts a cockroach standing defiantly before a boot, and another depicting a cockroach appearing to push against or hold back a large curtain. The posters/art work symbolically illustrate it as an image/symbol of resistance,” the petition stated.
The union added that the posters did not display the name, symbol, flag, slogan or campaign material of any recognised political party and, therefore, did not violate the university’s code of conduct.
