Lucknow University Takes Action Amid Protests Over Lal Baradari Fencing

Lucknow University has taken significant action by barring six students from campus following protests regarding the fencing of the Lal Baradari monument. The protests arose from allegations that prayers were being conducted near the site during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan. Tensions escalated as various student groups clashed over the issue, leading to police involvement and the issuance of show-cause notices to several students. The university claims the fencing was a safety measure due to the monument's deteriorating condition, while students argue it was an attempt to restrict their religious practices. This situation highlights ongoing tensions surrounding religious freedoms and student rights on campus.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 25, 2026, 20:51 IST

University Responds to Protests

Lucknow University has taken the step of prohibiting six students from entering the campus following a series of protests by two factions regarding the fencing of the Lal Baradari monument. There were also claims that prayers were being conducted near the site, as reported by a local news outlet on Tuesday. Additionally, seven students received show-cause notices.

Aryan Mishra, who serves as the vice president of the National Students’ Union of India in Uttar Pradesh, stated that the university had fenced the monument on Saturday, according to another news source.

The National Students’ Union of India is affiliated with the Congress party.

Unidentified students mentioned that a hall within the monument was utilized as a mosque. They alleged that the fencing was intended to prevent students and local residents from performing prayers during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan, which commenced on February 18.

On Sunday, a group of Muslim students conducted prayers near the monument, with protection from members of the National Students’ Union of India, Mishra reported.

University officials clarified on Monday that the fencing was a precautionary measure due to the deteriorating condition of the structure. They also refuted claims that a hall inside Lal Baradari had been used for prayers.

However, tensions heightened on campus on Tuesday when members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad shouted slogans, staged a sit-in outside the monument, recited the Hanuman Chalisa, and demanded the purification of the area where prayers were held, according to another news source.

The Hanuman Chalisa is a devotional hymn dedicated to the Hindu deity Hanuman.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad is the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which is the parent organization of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Some members of the ABVP were detained by law enforcement, as reported by a local media outlet.

Chitvan Kumar, the station house officer at Hasanganj police station, informed that 13 students were instructed to provide a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each, along with two sureties of the same amount.

The notice issued to them indicated that students allegedly attempted to obstruct construction activities at Lal Baradari within the university grounds. It stated that they protested by sitting on a road inside the campus, shouted slogans, and attempted to conduct prayers in a public area, which could potentially disrupt public order and communal harmony.

The notice further expressed concerns that the students might engage in future actions that could lead to a breach of public peace, prompting a request for their summons and substantial sureties.