Defacing Delhi For DUSU Polls: Delhi HC Tells Prez Rocky Tuseed, DU, Others To Decide Clean-Up Plan

DUSU office-bearers and candidates who lost the recent DUSU polls appeared before the Delhi High Court on Monday and apologised for the defacement of public property caused during the campaigning for DUSU polls.

DUSU president Rocky Tuseed and others apologised before Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal, who has been critical of the defacement caused to public property and had questioned their leadership qualities.

Justice Mittal called on Rocky Tuseed seeking an explanation to the unabated defacement of public properties and remarking that his name was omnipresent over all the defaced public properties.

He then sought time from the court to launch a cleanliness campaign across the board involving students and NGOs.

The court has been hearing a PIL filed by advocate Prashant Manchanda who brought the court’s attention to the defacement of public properties caused in the name of campaigning for DUSU elections.

After Rocky Tuseed and others apologised before the court, it directed them, Delhi University and all civic agencies concerned to convene a meeting on October 27 so as to roll out an action plan with a view to end the menace.

The petitioner has been asked to be present in the meeting to give his suggestions.

On Monday, Prashant submitted more photographs showing how aspiring candidates have started campaigning for future elections in the guise of festive greetings.

The DMRC, which is a party to the case, conceded that the damage caused to the metro stations like spray paints is irreversible.

Prashant Manchanda said, “Justice Mittal warned the candidates about how the imputation of the magnitude of offence of destroying Metro properties shall entail criminal culpability involving 10-year punishment, which can jeopardize their entire career.”

It then directed them all and the Delhi University and all the candidates to convene a meeting on October 27.

During the hearing, Prashant also submitted that “days after elections, the Metro properties and walls, etc. defaced through spray paints are permanently damaged and cannot be removed. It has also come to notice that newly-built bridges plastered with galaxy of posters inextricably interwoven, so to speak when tried to be removed have permanently defaced it after removal warranting to completely repaint it causing huge and unnecessary financial losses to the corporation. In some areas where the defaced portions are repainted looks even uglier, in fact it sticks out like a sore thumb”.

He also contended that “the hygiene facilities, including steps to prevent mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria, etc. may have to be seriously compromised in the teeth of requisite manpower engaged in recompensing the damage caused by the respondents”.