Guwahati: Assam University Silchar (AUS) has refused to allow students to organize a Daawat-e-Iftaar on campus during Ramadan, saying it wants to follow the secular principles of the Indian Constitution.
The event, which was a religious feast, was planned by students from undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs.
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However, after the university’s decision, the students had to cancel it. They called the decision unfair and said it went against their religious beliefs.
A postgraduate student said similar events had been held in the past two years, with university officials, including the registrar, attending. “We pay for the Daawat-e-Iftaar ourselves with personal contributions. But now, with this delay in permission, we don’t have enough time to organize it, so we have to cancel it,” the student said.
He also pointed out, “The Vice-Chancellor will only return next week, and by then, it will be too late to arrange funds and prepare for the event. This feels unfair because other religious events have been allowed before.”
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The university registrar, Pradosh Kiran Nath, explained the decision in a statement. “This office does not get involved in religious matters, so we cannot officially allow any religious activities,” he said.
The decision has led to discussions on campus about how to balance secularism with religious and cultural events in universities.