A crowd of protesting Panjab University students was lathi-charged by the Chandigarh police while CM Mann was addressing the ‘Punjab Vision 2047’ event on campus. The students had gathered to protest against the delay in the University senate elections, which they said was ‘ a step towards the centralisation of the university’.
The students had gathered under the banner ‘Panjab University Bachao Morcha’ took out a march on the campus and were on their way from the Student Centre to the Law Auditorium when the police intercepted the march.
The CM was speaking at the Law department auditorium when the protest march started.
While the students were conducting a peaceful protest, the police resorted to a lathi charge as the students stayed adamant about marching towards the venue. Sources from the scene told NAI that some students received injuries from the police canes, and the police damaged the mobile phones of many students in an attempt to stop them from recording the clash.
A student party leader who was involved in the protest said that this was “A blatant misuse of police force and a gross violation of student rights. If we cannot protest for our university on our campus, then what is the point of education?”
Another protestor said, “Earlier CM Mann supported Panjab University’s rights going to Punjab only, but now since the senate elections are being delayed again and again, it seems like the state government also wants it to be a centralised university”.
A source within the university administration said that ‘Centralisation could be a good thing for the university as the campus is facing a shortage of funds and appointments. Nearly 900 posts are lying vacant and the only reason for permanent staff not being hired is the shortage of funds. The University is instead hiring guest faculties and contractual stuff everywhere.’
There has been no official statement from the University on the event so far.
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