The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday condemned the alleged lathicharge on students protesting against the centralisation of Panjab University, Chandigarh, and asked the Union government to withdraw the proposal.

Protesting against the proposed move, student organisations were stopped by police from entering the state capital near the YPS roundabout in Mohali on Thursday.
SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said party president Sukhbir Singh Badal had expressed shock at the flagrant manner in which the rights of Punjab were being usurped. “We will launch protest to ensure the character of Panjab University is not change”, added Cheema.
The SAD spokesman also condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for not defending Punjab’s case vis-a-vis Panjab University in court. He said the AAP government should rectify its mistake and inform the centre that the varsity’s status was non-negotiable.