Ahead of students’ PU bandh call today, police foil protests

Ahead of a bandh call by student organisations against tuition fee hike of up to 1,000% in some courses, on Tuesday, police foiled three protests at Panjab University (PU) campus on Monday.

To ensure that there was no disturbance, the police took nine-ten leaders inro preventive custody, including Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) president Nishant Kaushal and general secretary Ashiq Mohammad. Panjab University Students’ Union (PUSU) leader Navaldeep Singh was also taken into preventive custody.

The PUSCS was to carry out a march from Student Centre to Punjab governor’s residence, but the police barricaded their way near gate number 1 (opposite the PGIMER).

Navaldeep said, “There is no point on attacking the V-C. He is helpless. Our fight is against the central government. There should be equality in imparting education. We are against separate slabs for rich and poor.”

PUSU president Nirjog Mann also described the fee hike as commercialisation of education. The detained leaders were later released about 2.30pm

ABVP TRIES TO JUMP POLICE BARRICADES

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) led by its campus president Krishan Sheoran gathered outside V-C’s office and alleged that there were a number of scams in the varsity.

Calling for the V-C’s resignation, they voiced against re-employment of teachers above 60 years of age.

Insisting that they will submit a memorandum to the V-C only, they charged and tried to cross police barricades about 11.30am.

Chief security officer professor Ashwani Kaul and dean students welfare professor Emanual Nahar received the memorandum from them

Meanwhile, members of the Students For Society (SFS), National Students Union of India (NSUI) and Students Organisation of India (SOI) burnt the V-C’s effigy at University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), Sector 25.

The ABVP has said that it will neither join nor oppose the bandh.