On Monday, Pondicherry University organised a convocation to honour the students of 2018 batch for their academic excellence. President Ram Nath Kovind was the Chief Guest of the event, who was supposed to hand over the gold medals to the students. Rabeeha Abdurehim is a topper and gold medalist from the department of Mass Communication (2018) in Pondicherry University.

However, before the event started, Rabeeha was allegedly kicked out of her own convocation. Reportedly, she was asked to leave the hall by a senior police officer and was allowed to come back to the hall only after the President left the venue. Accorinding to The Times Of India, Rabeeha said "I don't know why I was sent out (from the venue). But I learnt that when the students inside asked police they said, 'maybe, she is wearing her scarf in a different way.' That is also a reason I feel that they have sent me out, maybe. But nobody told blatantly on my face that this is why we kicked you out. They have not given me any reason."

After Rabeeha came back, she received her certificate and told the University authority about what happened. She even refused to take the gold medal to protest against being sent out of the hall and to show support to the students protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC. Earlier, Rabeeha had been vocal about the protests against CAA, so she feels that it could also have been a reason for asking her to leave.

Rabeeha further said, "The President attended the convocation. I was a suspect because they expected me to do something, I don't know what. When the President was there, I was kicked out of my own convocation. Rejecting the medal is also to protest that, but at the same time more strongly, it is in support and in solidarity with all students and Indians who is fighting for what is India right now. As educated youth we have to take a strong stand."

"Receiving the gold medal in front of a cheering crowd had been my dream. I did not imagine it being ruined like this. I had no intention of boycotting an award that I had earned through my hard work. But, now that they have discriminated against me, I don't want it anymore," Rabeeha worked really hard for that gold medal said.

Rabeeha isn't the only student who refused to take the gold medal. A lot of students rejected the gold medal in solidarity of the protests against CAA.

Karthika B Kurup, a 28-year-old student and one of the many graduates and a gold medalist from Pondicherry University boycotted the convocation to protest against the CAA and NRC. She told The News Minute, "I was reluctant to accept an award from the hands of someone who finally assented to a discriminatory law."

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