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Panel alleges political instigation as HAU students insist on VC’s removal
In response, Haryana education minister Mahipal Dhanda accused opposition parties of provoking the students to prolong the agitation without regard for their academic future.
The scheduled talks between the Haryana government’s four-member panel and the protesting students of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU), Hisar, failed to take place on Monday as students refused to engage in any dialogue unless the state first removed vice-chancellor BR Kamboj from his post.
Firm on their demand, the students said they would not return to the negotiation table until the vice-chancellor was ousted. In response, Haryana education minister Mahipal Dhanda accused opposition parties of provoking the students to prolong the agitation without regard for their academic future.
“We held discussions with the students for hours on Saturday and Sunday. While some appeared convinced, they later reverted to their primary demand—the removal of the VC. We were surprised at how this became their central issue,” Dhanda said.
He added that the panel had already agreed to several student demands, including disciplinary action against an assistant professor, revision of the stipend structure, rollback of seat reservations for Land Donation Villages (LDV), and medical compensation for injured students.
The minister also said the panel assured the formation of a probe committee comprising two senior IAS officers and a professor chosen by the students to investigate the vice-chancellor’s role in the June 10 lathi-charge incident.
“We made it clear that if the VC is found at fault, action will be taken. Still, the students insisted on his immediate removal before resuming talks. This rigidity, I believe, is being fuelled by opposition parties. Exams are underway, and if students boycott them, final-year students may miss out on postgraduate and PhD admissions,” Dhanda warned.
Social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Kumar Bedi, another member of the panel, said all discussions held over the weekend were recorded at the students’ request.
“Despite stone-pelting outside the VC’s residence and attacks on other faculty, we chose not to escalate matters. We agreed to the students’ demands and even proposed a fair inquiry into the VC’s conduct. But they’ve now approached police themselves, demanding an FIR against them be registered. We’re confused about who is misleading these students. We want what’s best for them and remain open to talks,” Bedi said.
Meanwhile, the protesting students announced plans to hold a mahapanchayat on campus on June 24. They said representatives from opposition parties, student and farmer unions, and women’s rights groups would participate.
Rejecting the government’s proposals, students accused the panel of showing a “half-hearted” commitment.
“The ministers didn’t act decisively against those booked in the lathi-charge. The VC had students brutally beaten and tried to divide us along caste and regional lines. He has misused his position during recruitment and other official matters. The university cannot function properly until BR Kamboj is removed,” they said.
The students alleged that the Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan mocked them during the meeting and called them “emotional fools” and trying to link them with a local woman, who was recently arrested for sedition.
“ When we told about June 10 incident to the panel, the SP said that rape and murder took place every day. He said that 13 students leading the protest would be responsible if any untoward incident took place,” the protesters, who attended the meeting alleged.
“The entire meeting was recorded and the students are misquoting the things,” the SP said while refuting the allegations.
