A five-member committee comprising current and previous deans of students welfare (DSW) has submitted a proposal to the students protesting over the senate elections to form a new committee, including them and other stakeholders, to suggest reforms for the senate body and take them up with Panjab University (PU) chancellor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
PU vice-chancellor (V-C) Renu Vig held a meeting with the committee and representatives of the protesting students on Monday evening. Vig said the committee has submitted a proposal to the students to form a new committee for preparing a list of reforms that should be implemented in the Panjab University senate body. It will comprise representatives of students as well as the teaching and non-teaching staff.
One of the committee members said the students were explained that holding a protest will not solve the problem. However, the authorities concerned will consider the prepared recommendations when sent through a proper medium. The students have not agreed to this proposal yet, and an all-party meeting was called out on Monday night to discuss their next step.
Panjab University Campus Student Council vice-president Archit Garg, who was also one of the students present for the meeting, said though the proposal will be discussed, the students feel let down regarding PU’s stance on the FIR registered against 14 protesters. No headway was made regarding this on Monday as the authorities did not take back their complaint. On Wednesday, when Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann was present in PU for an event, the students had allegedly tried to rush to the venue. They were, however, stopped by the UT police officials. The students alleged them of manhandling female students, with no lady cop present there.
{{/usCountry}}Panjab University Campus Student Council vice-president Archit Garg, who was also one of the students present for the meeting, said though the proposal will be discussed, the students feel let down regarding PU’s stance on the FIR registered against 14 protesters. No headway was made regarding this on Monday as the authorities did not take back their complaint. On Wednesday, when Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann was present in PU for an event, the students had allegedly tried to rush to the venue. They were, however, stopped by the UT police officials. The students alleged them of manhandling female students, with no lady cop present there.
{{/usCountry}}The issue of governance and senate body reforms at PU was first brought up by former V-C Arun Kumar Grover. The Justice Parsoon Committee had submitted its report regarding this on June 11, 2018, but the reforms are yet to be taken up.
The senate is the apex body of the university, overseeing its affairs, concerns and property. All decisions related to academics and the budget require its final approval. It comprises 91 members, including 47 from eight faculty constituencies, while the rest are nominated or ex-officio members.
MP Fatehgarh Sahib Amar Singh, who was present at the protest site on Monday afternoon, discussed the issue of the senate elections and also the FIR registered against the students. When informed about the vice-president’s curt response to Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, Singh said they will try to hold another meeting with chancellor Dhankhar and MPs from Punjab. He further said any change in the senate structure needs to be passed in the Parliament, which the MPs from Punjab will not allow to happen.
He also had a telephonic conversation with UT senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur, asking the police to not take such strict action against the agitating students. Former Chandigarh Youth Congress president Manoj Lubana was also present at the protest site on Monday.