Delhi’s students and parents are asking the nation a different question on the National Education Day, “What is the value of education if reaching the classroom doesn’t feel safe?”
The capital is in shock after the blast near Red For which claimed at least 13, and the temporary closure of surrounding metro access.
National Education Day is celebrated with speeches, campus events, and discussions about learning. However, this year, the mood is different. Delhi is the home to India’s best universities and thousands of daily student commuters.
When travel to college turns into concern
“My daughter travels to her college using the metro. It’s supposed to be the safest and most convenient mode of transport. But now, with blasts happening around metro station areas, how can I be calm? She spends 1.5 hours every day inside the metro. I can’t stop her from studying. Education is her right but how do I assure her safety? So many students depend on the metro for their education. Are we to choose between safety and learning?” a concerned parent told News Ei Samay.
The fear is not restricted to those commuting for education. There are families who visit Old Delhi frequently now feel unsafe. A mother of three children told us, “We often visit Chandni Chowk for tea and family time but after this incident, we will always be terrified. This is our capital, why should citizens feel anxious here? No visible police at night, rising cases of shootings, and now a blast near a tourist spot that families visit every day. Where is safety?”
Dream of education in Delhi collides with reality of safety
Hours after the Red Fort blast, a parent of a student aspiring for Masters in Delhi mentioned, “Delhi has the best colleges, but every incident like this makes us question our decision. A blast in broad daylight, at a place tourists and students cross every day. How do we send our children there? Why isn’t safety the top priority?”
A PHD scholar of Mass Communication Research Centre Jamia Milia Islamia mentioned, “We were near Shaheen Bagh when we saw the news. What terrifies me is not just the blast but the social media reactions. The facts stay unknown, yet narratives blame communities. Instead of questioning security lapses, energy is diverted toward hate.”
