‘Reclaim the Night’: USF Solidarity March Raises a Call for Transparency and Accountability

On Wednesday, 30th September, 2026, hundreds of Ashokans assembled outside the library cafe at 8:45 p.m. for a candlelight ‘Reclaim the Night’ march organised by four independent collectives: The United Students Front (USF), the Savitri Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (SAPSC), Rosa’s Reading Circle and the United Queer Forum (UQF). This march came in the wake of the recent Kalkaji temple rape incident, expressing solidarity with the protests currently taking place across Delhi University colleges. Students also raised concerns surrounding sexual-harassment policies at Ashoka.

Anubhav Sahoo (UG ’28), a member of UQF, first addressed the gathering by speaking of the circumstances and victim scrutiny regarding the Kalkaji temple rape incident. Sahoo questioned why conversations continued to focus on “what she was doing, who she was with” rather than “why this happened”. They demanded a space for conversation, stating, “We are not going to keep quiet…we are going to take action.” 

This was followed by Sulagna Moitra (UG ’27), a member of USF, who referred to Ashoka University as a protected “bubble”. While acknowledging the relative privilege associated with campus, Moitra emphasised that “within this campus, safety is a question that we skirt around.” Her words addressed the driving force behind the solidarity march: supporting the larger movement that has been going on in the country, while also talking about something on this very own campus.

As students moved towards the Admin MPH with candles and posters in their hands, their raised chants of “Inqalab Zindabad, Azadi and Jai Bheem” resounded through the mess lawns.  On their return to the library cafe, students discussed sexual harassment cases at institutions in India and abroad, alongside specific concerns about Ashoka.

Among the various topics raised was that of Dr. Mitul Baruah, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology and Environmental Studies, who previously faced a sexual-harassment complaint at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Both the JNU committee and Ashoka’s Committee against Sexual Harassment (CASH) reported Baruah not guilty. Several students raised concerns about the lack of information regarding his case not being made publicly available. According to first-year students present at the CASH orientation, when questions were raised about Baruah’s case, they were told that it was not a topic to be discussed in public. According to correspondence by the Cultural Ministry, Jazbaa, “multiple students reached out to their Kalinga Leaders with concerns regarding the manner in which the University's CASH session and the conduct of the session's speaker had been experienced.” These were then reported to Dr. Dheeraj Sanghi, Dean of Student Affairs, “with the understanding that they would be best addressed by the relevant University authorities and CASH.” 

The march called attention to the need for safer and more inclusive spaces for women and gender minority students on campus. “Sexual harassment is harassment nonetheless, and it is unacceptable regardless of who commits it.” Atharva Salve (UG ’27), a founding member of SAPSC and a member of USF, called for students' experiences to be acknowledged rather than dismissed or scrutinised. This includes greater sensitisation and sensitivity toward survivor experiences within institutional bodies such as CASH.

Speakers also referenced recent protests against sexual harassment in academic institutions like Lovely Professional University, Chitkara University, and Cornell University, highlighting broader concerns around institutional mechanisms for addressing sexual harassment, accountability and the transparency of complaint processes while also raising concerns about Ashoka's own procedures and mechanisms. This was reflected most directly in the calls for the release of CASH reports, a systemised database that provides detailed information about the number of CASH cases registered, the pending or resolved cases, and a demographic analysis of the individuals filing CASH reports. Students argued that access to such information is necessary for informed policymaking and greater institutional accountability. 

Chaitanya Gupta (UG '29), General Secretary of the Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG), emphasised that the Student Government’s immediate aim was to “formally demand the release of the CASH reports from the administration” and seek “increased accountability from the university administration”. 

Students also raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding CASH’s processes. Ganeev Kaur (UG ’30) pointed to the lack of information provided to students, stating “first-years were not told what the processes for reporting a CASH case are” even during their orientation. “I shouldn't have to go on a website to know what will happen to me if I'm sexually assaulted.” 

Despite the “bubble” the University creates, students often find themselves face to face with the realities of their safety, both on and off campus. The march brought to attention such facts surrounding the transparency of Ashoka’s measures taken to ensure this safety, and questioned the validity of the same.  

Note: The Edict reached the Residence Life Office and the Student Life Office for a comment on the conversation surrounding Mitul Baruah during the CASH Orientation. As of now, no response has been received. The article will be updated as and when we receive a response.

[Edited by Antara Kulkarni, Ananya Mahnot and Avika Mantri].