Delhi University Vice Chancellor, Yogesh Singh, has questioned Lakshmibai College Principal Pratyush Vatsala’s decision to apply cow dung on classroom walls as a method to cool down the rooms. Speaking to The Hindu on Tuesday, Singh suggested that if the experiment was important, it should have been first tested in Vatsala’s home or office.
“I cannot comment on its scientific aspect because I’m not an expert. I think that if the experiment was important, she could have first experimented at her home or office before carrying it out in the classroom,” Singh said.
Principal Vatsala had earlier defended the act, explaining that it was part of a faculty-led research project exploring traditional Indian methods to control heat. She said it was being done as part of an academic inquiry into sustainable cooling techniques.
However, her actions sparked outrage from student leaders, including Ronak Khatri, president of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU). Khatri, who is associated with the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), entered Vatsala’s office and smeared cow dung on her walls in protest.
“If you want to do research, do it at your home,” Khatri said in a video posted after the protest. He criticized the principal for conducting the experiment on students without their consent.
The university has not yet issued a formal response to the incident.
In a statement released later, the NSUI condemned Vatsala’s actions, saying, “The Principal of Lakshmibai College was appointed for academic duties, not to act as an RSS foot soldier. Her actions are a clear attempt to push the Sangh’s agenda and distract from students’ real issues like scholarships, infrastructure, and education.”
