TISS accuses agitating students of holding professor ‘hostage’

The institute filed an ‘incident report’ with the local police, alleging pressure tactics by students, including blocking the entry and exit points of the academic wing

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) have complained to the police that students had held a professor hostage on March 24.

A bandh was called by the TISS Students’ Union on February 20 to protest the institute’s decision to withdraw the fee-waiver given to SC, ST and OBC students. (HT FILE)

The institute filed an ‘incident report’ with the local police, alleging pressure tactics by students, including blocking the entry and exit points of the academic wing and holding a senior professor hostage . Students, who are on a protest from February 21, have called this move by the management as ‘an act of moral deficit’.

“The institute is accusing us of vandalism and breaking CCTV cameras on campus, but all this is untrue. We have been continuing a peaceful protest for the past one month and ensured that no regular work is affected because of the protest,” said a student, and added that their non-violent protest will continue till their demands are met.

A bandh was called by the TISS Students’ Union on February 20 to protest the institute’s decision to withdraw the fee-waiver given to SC, ST and OBC students, eligible for last year’s Government of India Post Matric Scholarship (GoI-PMS). Students have not attended classes since February 21 and the protest has been going on all campuses of TISS – Mumbai, Hyderabad, Tuljapur and Guwahati.

A statement from the institute has stated that the incident report was filed so as to keep the authorities updated with all that happens on campus. “The administrative wing, where students protested on March 23, also houses many important documents. By entering this space, students have put the area in risk and we appeal to students to not disrupt the normal functioning of the institute,” said a senior official. A police officer was also present on the TISS campus on Monday to look into the complaint by the administration and question all parties.