DU Rameshwari Photocopier case: Students across party lines get together to celebrate decision

From the Right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), to Left organisations such as the All India Student Association (AISA) and Student Federation of India (SFI) and even the Centrist National Student Union of India (NSUI) — all said students cannot do without photocopied books, and that it should not be seen as copyright infringement.

Saket Bahuguna, ABVP national media convener, said, “We welcome the decision. All students should have access to textbooks. If the prices of textbooks are exorbitantly high, naturally students prefer getting them photocopied. There should be no bar on photocopying books for educational purposes.”

DUSU joint secretary Mohit Garid from NSUI said, “The books are very expensive and the photocopies enable students’ meet their educational needs. Second, students use the photostats for reading and not for any commercial use. So banning it will only lead to difficulties for students and especially those who come from humble backgrounds.”

SFI president Prashant Mukherjee said, “To bring matters of copyright infringement in educational arena is a direct attack on academia. There should not be restrictions in movement of knowledge”. Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA DU president, said, “It’s a victory for the movement that common students and professors had initiated. This commercialisation of knowledge would have only excluded the students from the marginalised classes.”