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Iftar gathering called off day before event as DU bans cultural programmes on campus

While the order, signed by Dean Anju Vali Tikoo, did not mention the Iftar event explicitly, the notice effectively prevented the event from taking place on Wednesday.

3 min readNew DelhiMar 19, 2026 12:20 PM IST

The event, 'Dawat-e-Iftar', was scheduled to be held at 6 pm at Umang Bhawan, according to a poster circulated by students. (Express Photo)

An Iftar gathering scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi (DU), was called off on Tuesday after the DU administration issued a notice prohibiting all cultural events within the premises “until further notice”.

The event, ‘Dawat-e-Iftar’, was scheduled to be held at 6 pm at Umang Bhawan, according to a poster circulated by students.

In a notice dated March 17, the Faculty of Law administration said, “All students are hereby informed that no cultural events/programmes, or cultural gatherings of any kind shall be organised within the faculty premises (old building/new building) until further notice.”

“This decision has been taken in view of administrative and safety considerations. Students are advised to comply with the above directive,” it added.

While the order, signed by Dean Anju Vali Tikoo, did not mention the Iftar event explicitly, the notice effectively prevented the event from taking place on Wednesday.

Speaking to The Indian Express, DU South Campus Director Rajni Abbi said the administration had taken a blanket position against allowing religious gatherings on campus, citing concerns about precedent and potential tensions.

“We did not allow it because we don’t want to set a precedent. Tomorrow, if someone comes and says they want to organise another religious event, what do we say then? It becomes very difficult for us,” she said.

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“There can be clashes on such occasions, which is why we are not going to allow this,” she added.

Abbi further said that the decision was not specific to any religion. “Irrespective of the religion, we are not going to allow such events,” she said, adding that similar requests for Saraswati Puja had also been denied. “These are occasions where there is a higher possibility of tensions arising.”

Referring to a previous instance, Abbi said, “Last time, when permission was sought for Iftar, I had refused. Even then, people went ahead and made arrangements, and we had to seek police assistance.”

Adding to this another higher official from the DU administration said ” No prior permission was taken to organise this event”

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Students, meanwhile, pointed to a history of informal and small-scale observances across DU colleges and departments, including Iftar gatherings being organised without incident.

“We see Hindu festivals being celebrated openly on campus. There is Bhajan Clubbing happening in several colleges. Holding Iftar events is not something new, several DU colleges have been holding such gatherings for years,” said a second-year law student.

Tikoo did not respond to calls and messages from The Indian Express.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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