“A mere expression of an opinion cannot be equated to the instigation of a protest,” underlined an associate professor at the Dr BR Ambedkar University’s School of Global Affairs, accused of delivering a “provocative speech” at a public meeting, on Wednesday as he responded to the varsity’s show cause notice sent last week. He said his speech was within the framework of constitutionally guaranteed “freedom of expression”.

The university, in its March 28 show cause notice, had said that the “protest escalated into sloganeering, accompanied by derogatory and disrespectful language targeting the head of the institution with the intent to tarnish the reputation of the university.”

The faculty member was among the speakers at a public meeting held following the March 21 controversial suspension of a postgraduate female student, a member of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), for criticising Vice-Chancellor Anu Singh Lather’s Republic Day speech. The meeting, held by a student group in front of the V-C’s office on March 24, saw participation by students as well as professors. Amid rising tension on the varsity campus over the issue, an indefinite sit-in protest against the student’s suspension began on Tuesday.

Ahead of the March 24 meeting, posters had circulated in advance, identifying the faculty member as one of the speakers at the event, and media reports later confirmed his participation, the varsity said. In its notice, the university further claimed that the associate professor’s “provocative speech encouraged the students to create indiscipline and nuisance, resulting in the disorder of the management due to which the university administration was compelled to seek the intervention of police”.

The show cause notice also claimed that “the protest resulted in a significant disruption of the university’s routine operations and the campus was overtaken by protestors with pathways blocked and a march proceeding from the Canteen to the Vice-Chancellor’s office.”

As per the notice, the associate professor was found in violation of provisions of Rule 3(1) of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, and Statute 22 of the First Statute of the B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi Act, 2007. Rule 3(1) of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, mandates that every government servant must maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty, and do nothing unbecoming of a government servant.