E-Paper
Students protest for reopening of Meerut College hostels
Students warned Meerut College authorities they would intensify protest if their demand was not met.
Hundreds of students and their leaders participated in a march and staged a dharna in front of Meerut College’s principal’s office on Monday. The protesting students called for the reopening of hostels that were closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A student of the law faculty in the college and protestor, Shera Jat accused the college management of deliberately not opening hostels. “Students who come from rural areas are compelled to stay in a rented room to pursue their studies and it is causing an extra burden on their parents,” said Shera who is also the organising secretary of the state unit of Jat Mahasabha.
Students and their leaders led by Vijit Taliyan took out a march and thereafter sat on a dharna to push for their demand to open hostels immediately. They warned college authorities of intensifying protest if their demand, which is in the interest of students, is not fulfilled.
Meerut college principal Dr S N Sharma, however, made no bones about the fact that the hostels have been closed for over three years. He said that he would discuss the matter with college management in the interest of the students. “I am not the final authority to take a decision to open the hostels. I will approach the college management to get it resolved,” said Dr Sharma.
Meerut College is a leading college in the region which was established in 1892, and many dignitaries, including BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, studied here. It has three boys’ and one girls’ hostel, which were closed during the pandemic. These hostels are vacant even after the reopening of the college.
Student leaders including Anuj Jawla, Saurav Singh, Ankit Kakran, Vineet Tikait, Vicky Khajoori, Shubham Malik, Sachin Karnawal and Bunty Salarpur also participated in the protest.
