Water-filled dustbin hurled during Habib’s speech at DU campus

Unidentified persons hurled a water-filled dustbin during eminent historian S. Irfan Habib’s talk at an event outside Arts Faculty in Delhi University’s North Campus on Thursday. No one was injured and no official complaint was filed, the police said.

As Prof. Habib was addressing a large gathering outside the Arts Faculty, part of ‘Samta Diwas’ or People’s Literature Festival organised by the DU unit of All India Students’ Association (AISA), a dustbin filled with water was hurled from behind the gate. 

As the video of the incident went viral on social media, support poured in for Prof. Habib, with Communist Party of India general secretary D. Raja condemning the attack. “This is not disagreement or debate, this is cowardly intimidation. Ideas must be fought with ideas, not with violence, threats or hooliganism. Such acts expose the deep insecurity of right-wing forces who fear free thinking and open discussion,” he said. 

Academic Apoorvanda also shared the video and posted, “Hindutvavadis try to silence intellectuals with violence. This is Delhi University.” Professor Habib thanked them for their support.