LSR students protest Principal praising women quota in BJP video, she says ‘views are personal’

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Written by: Vidheesha Kuntamalla4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 16, 2026 10:45 AM IST The Student Federation of India (SFI) also expressed support for the protesting students. (Express Photo) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT Students of Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) protested against Principal Dr Kanika K Ahuja on Wednesday after she appeared in a video posted on the BJP’s official Instagram handle praising the Women’s Reservation Bill. The video, shared on April 13 on BJP’s ‘BJP4India’ Instagram handle as part of a series supporting the Bill, or ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, featured Ahuja describing the legislation as “a constitutional course correction” and “long overdue.” In the clip, she said the Bill reflects a shift “from women’s development to women-led development” and expressed hope that it would enable more women, including LSR students, to take on leadership roles. The Bill aims to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies by the 2029 general election and increase Lok Sabha seats to 850, from 543. Speaking to The Indian Express on Wednesday, Ahuja said the views expressed were personal. “The views were shared in the video in an individual capacity. While I hold the office of the Principal, it is important to distinguish between personal intellectual engagement with a social subject and a formal institutional communique. The participation was an exercise of personal opinion and does not constitute an official policy stance of LSR.” “The college’s commitment to an apolitical environment refers to an absence of partisan affiliation not a detachment from critical social discourse. My support for the Women’s Reservation Bill is rooted in the fundamental principle of gender justice, a value central to this institution’s ethos. I view the Bill as a significant step toward empowering 50% of the population by ensuring their representation in the Lok Sabha. Analysing legislative moves that promote equity is an academic and social necessity, rather than a political contradiction,” she added. On students alleging that some speakers and events are restricted on the campus in the name of neutrality, Ahuja said, “The selection of speakers and the organisation of events are decentralised processes at LSR. These decisions are primarily driven by the respective student societies in consultation with their faculty advisors. The administration’s role is to facilitate a safe and conducive environment for these activities.” Asked how the administration is dealing with the current protest, Ahuja said, “We are engaged in an active and transparent dialogue with the student body. We recognise that within a vibrant academic community, there will naturally be a diversity of opinions, some in agreement and others in opposition.” “In fact, out of a population of 4,000 students, only around 175 students are questioning the video. Several have appreciated it and concurred with the views expressed in it. We view these disagreements as an opportunity for growth and mutual understanding. We are committed to resolving the current concerns through continued discussion and democratic engagement,” she added. The protest on Wednesday saw students raising slogans against what they termed as “saffronisation” of the college. Holding placards that read “Feminism is political” and “Saffronisation se azadi,” the protesters demanded that the administration should stop inviting BJP leaders and discontinue events perceived to be backed by the party. The Student Federation of India (SFI) also expressed support for the protesting students. In a statement posted on social media, SFI Delhi joint secretary Mehina Fathima said that “…using educational institutions as tools for propagating politics of BJP and RSS will not be tolerated by the student community”. The protest at LSR reflects concerns being raised across campuses, the statement added. 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. 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