AIPWA stands in solidarity with the students of HNLU Raipur

All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA) stands in solidarity with the students of HNLU Raipur who are protesting against discriminatory norms and rules against women students. Hundreds of HNLU students are demanding freedom from curfew timing and discriminatory norms against women. 

AIPWA spoke with women students from HNLU who said that restrictions are being laid upon them in the name of 'safety' and they are not able to do due justice to their studies and research. The students said that their main demand is that the curfew time of 10 PM for women should be revoked and they should be allowed to go to the library and computer labs 24x7 as this is very important for their studies and research work as law students. 

The students have been protesting for 8 days now but the HNLU management and the central and State governments have not given any positive response to their demands. 

AIPWA condemns the discrimination against women students and demands that the HNLU management should immediately lift the restrictions in timings for women students and allow them 24x7 access to the library and computer labs and all other campus spaces. The students' demand for transparency and accountability in university functioning, students' representation in decision making bodies, and restructuring of the ICC so that zero tolerance to sexual violence in the campus must also be addressed without delay by the management. 

AIPWA demands that the administration must stop villifying the protest of the students and start a dialogue with them. 

Lakshmi Krishnan

Convener, AIPWA, Chhattisgarh