A strange protest took place at Delhi University’s Lakshmibai College after the college principal, Pratyush Vatsala, was seen applying cow dung on classroom walls to “cool” the rooms. In response, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president Ronak Khatri smeared cow dung on the walls of her office.
Ronak Khatri called it a protest. “No student gave permission for this experiment. If you want to do research, do it at home, not in classrooms,” he told reporters.
A video of Khatri, wearing gloves and applying cow dung inside the office, has gone viral. He later posted on social media:
“We just helped Madam continue her mission. We believe she’ll now remove the AC from her office and live in natural coolness too.”
This all started a few days ago when a video showed Principal Vatsala applying cow dung on classroom walls. She said it was part of a research project by the Environmental Studies faculty. The aim, she said, was to test traditional Indian methods to control heat.
Speaking to ANI, Vatsala said, “These are portacabins where some classes are held. They get very hot. So, with EVS faculty, we began a study on using local methods like cow dung to cool the rooms.”
She said the idea was not harmful. “There’s no harm in touching natural mud,” she added.
But Ronak Khatri questioned the idea. “Is her own room covered with cow dung? No. She treats the college like a lab but doesn’t take student permission,” he said.
He also urged the government to help. “We request the Education Ministry to install ACs in classrooms. Don’t experiment on students.”
So far, Delhi University has not made an official statement. The issue has started a larger debate on student consent, scientific research, and the use of traditional ideas in modern education.
