Rahul Gandhi’s Surprise DU Visit Sparks Campus Row; Admin, ABVP Cry Foul, NSUI Hits Back

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has once again stirred a campus storm — this time with an unannounced visit to Delhi University’s North Campus on Thursday, May 22 — triggering a sharp backlash from university authorities and rival student groups.

The university administration issued a scathing statement condemning Gandhi’s presence, calling it “a violation of campus protocol.” According to the Proctor’s Office, this is the second time the senior Congress leader has entered the campus without prior clearance. “Shri Rahul Gandhi has done this for the second time… coming to the University without any intimation and information to University of Delhi,” the statement read.

During his hour-long visit, Gandhi met privately with students from marginalised communities — including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) — to discuss issues of representation and academic equality. The interaction was held inside the office of DUSU President Ronak Khatri, who is affiliated with the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).

The university accused Gandhi’s team of disrupting the functioning of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), alleging that parts of the office were cordoned off and that security personnel prevented access to elected student officials. “Some students were locked in the room of the secretary, DUSU, and were misbehaved with by NSUI students,” the statement added. It also warned of “strict action” against those involved in any misconduct.

Khatri Defends, ABVP Hits Out

DUSU President Ronak Khatri defended the event as a “private interaction,” pushing back against the administration’s criticism. “Let it be clearly said this visit was conducted peacefully and solely within the premises of the DUSU Office… There exists no rule, academic or legal, that compels the President of DUSU to seek prior permission for hosting a private or informal guest interaction,” Khatri said, as quoted by news agencies. He further alleged that the administration’s reaction was “politically motivated” and an attack on student autonomy.

Meanwhile, the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which holds key DUSU posts, slammed Gandhi’s visit as a political stunt. “Turning up uninvited, silencing elected voices and treating a student union office like a private drawing room is not leadership, it’s theatre,” said an ABVP spokesperson.

DUSU Secretary Mitravinda Karanwal, aligned with ABVP, claimed she was denied entry to her own office due to “VVIP protocol,” stating she was only allowed in after “lengthy negotiation.”