PU student bodies protest, want campus to reopen

Student bodies on Tuesday held a joint protest outside Panjab University vice-chancellor Raj Kumar’s office and demanded reopening of the university

Student bodies on Tuesday held a joint protest outside Panjab University vice-chancellor Raj Kumar’s office and demanded reopening of the university.

Members of various student bodies protesting outside the vice-chancellor’s office at Panjab University in Chandigarh on Tuesday. (Keshav SIngh/HT)

Students affiliated to Students For Society (SFS), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), Students Organisation of India (SOI), Youth For Swaraj (Y4S) among others raised slogans against the varsity’s administration.

The protesting students demanded a meeting with the V-C and tried to enter his office premises by breaking barricades. But, they were stopped by security personnel.

Later, five student representatives were called for a meeting with PU authorities. The students said that they have agreed to open the library from 8am to 10pm for all students and research scholars and messes of girls’ hostel 2 and boys’ hostel six.

Nikhil Narmeta, NSUI’s PU president, said, “They have agreed to include student representatives in the committee for reopening of hostels. We demanded that a proper roadmap is prepared regarding the reopening of campus. If our demands are not met in a week, we will protest again.”

The protest comes a day after students affiliated to NSUI and ABVP held two separate protests outside V-C’s office over the same demand.

Meanwhile, members of NSUI met the V-C on Tuesday. Rahul Kumar, former vice-president of Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC), said, “The V-C has assured us that the campus will be reopened in a phased manner. Students were approaching us for a long time as their academic career was at loss. We have made our intentions clear to the PU authorities and we hope for a positive action.”