Allahabad University cancels permission for ‘Liberty Fest’

Hangloo on Monday told The Indian Express that university authorities were misled into believing that eminent persons, including Indian jurists, would be present at the event, even though they were not coming. “In the letter seeking our permission to hold Liberty Festival, the students mentioned that, among others, the Chief Justice would be in attendance, and they included my name as chief guest without my knowledge. So we gave permission.

But later we learnt that those eminent persons are not coming,” he said. In an open letter to the V-C which he later made public, Kumar wrote: “When I asked (during the telephone conversation) why was permission given in the first place, you mentioned that the permission was for holding this event anywhere in Allahabad …when I pointed out that the letter clearly mentioned a particular hall in the University, you mentioned that there was too much pressure from the Ministry of Human Resource Development and there was nothing you can do on this anymore.”

Stating that there is “no pressure of any sort behind withdrawing the permission”, Hangloo said that, among other reasons, “There are electricity costs involved in letting out the hall, and a part of the hall is undergoing repair. Also, there is a Government of India (programme on) water conservation and another event to be held in Senate Hall Tuesday, so we could not give the hall on Monday.”

The JAC clarified they had specified they were calling former CJI A P Shah but he could not make it due to a delayed flight. This, the JAC claimed, was communicated to the varsity authorities on September 13 itself. The students, on Monday, held an informal event, with none of the chief invitees in attendance, on the front lawns of the university.