Lucknow University students call off indefinite hunger strike

The students were staging a protest demanding the restoration of student union elections on campus, which have not been held since 2006.

Student leaders who were on an indefinite hunger strike have called off their protest after Lucknow University agreed to allow them to appear in the ongoing semester exam. Students said that the university has agreed to issue their admit cards so they may appear in the ongoing semester examination.

Protesting students have received their admit cards to appear in the semester exam (HT Photo)

The students were staging a protest demanding the restoration of student union elections on campus, which have not been held since 2006. They demanded the restoration of student union polls as it is their democratic right.

According to the protesting students, the university administration was under pressure after another student fell ill and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Student leaders claimed that the district administration had mounted pressure on the university administration to resolve the issue so that students are allowed to appear in the exam and may call off their protest.

University spokesperson Durgesh Srivastava, however, said that the student leaders have agreed to give an undertaking that they will fulfil the attendance deficit of this semester before the start of the next semester. After which the university has told them that their admit card will be issued only if they agree to meet this one condition.

In yet another development, Lucknow University Associated College Teachers’ Association (LUACTA) wrote a letter to governor Anandiben Patel describing student leaders as troublemakers and urged her not to consider any demand of student leaders as they have been disturbing the academic atmosphere of the campus. This is in contrast to the degree college teachers’ association letter in which they requested the governor to intervene, so student leaders are allowed to appear in the examination.

“Today, after meeting the vice chancellor, the admit cards of all the students have been issued. The university has assured that they will conduct exams for those papers in which students were not allowed to appear. We want to thank chief minister Yogi Adityanath, governor Anandiben Patel, VC Prof Alok Kumar Rai, police, and district administration. A big thanks to LUACTA,” protesting students said after calling off their stir.