A student protest against rising examination fees at Maharana Bhupal (MBC) Girls College in Barmer, Rajasthan, spiralled into a national controversy on December 21.

Students affiliated with the ABVP alleged they were detained by police for calling District Collector Tina Dabi a “reel star” after an official described her as a “role model”.

While the students claim the detention was a retaliatory strike against their freedom of expression, Dabi and the Barmer police have rejected the allegations, stating that four students were only briefly taken to the station to “cool down” and clear a road blockade.

Role Model Vs ‘Reel Star’

The friction began as students gathered to voice their frustration over a significant hike in university examination fees, a move they argued would burden many from rural backgrounds.

The dialogue shifted from economics to optics when an administrative official reportedly held up Collector Tina Dabi as an inspirational figure for the young protesters.

In response, a student leader remarked that a true role model would be on the ground listening to their grievances rather than focusing on social media visibility.

The term “reel star” was used as a sarcastic critique of Dabi’s massive digital following, implying her public image as a social media icon was taking precedence over her administrative duties in Barmer.

Alleged Detention

Following the heated exchange, student leaders alleged that the police forcibly detained them after the sit-in had already concluded. They claimed this was a direct attempt to silence their criticism of the district administration.

However, senior police officer Manoj Kumar told NTDV that no formal arrests or detentions were made. He stated that the police only brought four male students to the station to prevent further public nuisance and to facilitate a “talk” aimed at calming the situation.

The students were reportedly allowed to leave after two hours, but the incident had already triggered a larger demonstration at the police station gates, with students demanding a formal apology for the perceived high-handedness.

Tina Dabi Responds

Breaking her silence on the matter, Tina Dabi issued a written statement to NDTV dismissing the students’ claims as an attempt to gain “cheap publicity” through social media.

She maintained that the fee hike issue had already been addressed through proper channels and that the police intervention was purely a matter of maintaining public order. Dabi argued that the narrative of “intolerance” being circulated online was factually incorrect, as the students were never arrested.

She asserted that the road blockade created by the protesters was the only reason for the brief police action and that the controversy was being kept alive artificially on digital platforms to malign the administration’s reputation.

“No one ever got arrested or even detained. Some students, despite the fee hike issue being resolved, were blocking the road and trying to create a nuisance. They were taken to a police station by my subordinates for talks and cooling down. They then left two hours later, and the issue on the ground was dead,” NDTV quoted Ms Dabi.

“The issue is alive only on social media. What is running on social media is just to malign and get some cheap publicity,” she said.

Political Backlash

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political figures and student organisations. Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed the move, calling it a classic case of “bureaucratic intolerance” and power drunkenness.

The ABVP also released a strong statement, arguing that arresting or detaining students for expressing their views strikes at the core of democratic values. They questioned since when freedom of expression became a crime in Rajasthan.

This clash has reopened the debate on the boundary between a public servant’s social media persona and their professional accountability, especially when dealing with dissent from the youth who feel unheard by those in power.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

At The Logical Indian, we believe that the strength of our democracy is measured by how those in power handle criticism, even when it is sharp or sarcastic.

While maintaining public order is a legitimate administrative duty, the perceived use of police force to manage a “sarcastic remark” creates a chilling effect on student activism.

We advocate for a culture where bureaucrats engage in open dialogue rather than relying on the police to facilitate “cooling down” periods. A true role model is one who earns respect through patience and accessibility, not just through curated digital presence.