Uncover face, no phone use while moving in & out: BHU to students

Female students at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have been told to keep their face uncovered while entering the campus and avoid using phones while coming in and going out. The controversial restrictions come after policemen thrashed female students to control spiralling protests against inaction in a case of sexual harassment at Asia’s largest residential university last month.

Some students said that sitting with male friends on the 1,300-acre campus has also come under the university’s watch. The restrictions have not been officially communicated to students who said the diktat has been kept unofficial for BHU authorities to deny them in case of protests.

Female students had recently written to the administration, asking it to stop interfering in their personal lives in the name of security. But more restrictions have followed. Even hostel timings have not been relaxed despite Chief Proctor Royana Singh’s promise.

“Every girl, who covers her face with a scarf, has been asked to show her face and only then will she be allowed to enter the campu,” said Mineshi Mishra, Member of Joint action Committee for BHU.

“This order has been justified by the guards who say this will prevent outsiders from entering the campus,” Mishra added.

“The question, however, is how …read more