GNGC students hit the road again, seek withdrawal of college orders

Mohit Khanna

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 6

Striking students of Guru Nanak Girls College today hit the road again and marched from Model Town Market to Mini-Secretariat against alleged highhandedness of the college authorities.

The protest triggered after Poonam Chaudhary, a student of BA final year who raised her voice against the increasing incidents of eve-teasing, was suspended along with 21 other students for indiscipline.

On the seventh day of the protest,  nearly 100 students laid a siege to the Mini-Secretariat and staged a dharna outside the offices of Deputy Commissioner and  Commissioner of Police.

Politicians, including SAD leader Gurdeep Singh Ghosha, Director Youth Development Board and SOI zonal president Meetpal Singh Dugri and members of the legal wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), today joined in the agitation and demanded scrapping of the college management committee.

As Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bagat was not in the town, the protesting students, along with the politicians, submitted a memorandum to Commissioner of Police JS Aulakh, demanding immediate revocation of all orders issued by the college authorities.

The students demanded that Panjab University (PU) should appoint an administrator to run the college. They accused the college principal of being vindictive.

Despite repeated attempts, Principal of the college Charanjit Kaur Mahal could not be contacted for comments.

The protest began when the college authorities did not open the main gate this morning. Soon, the workers of the SOI also reached the spot. Meanwhile, one of the protesters locked the main gate.

The protesters stated that if the students were not allowed to enter the college, then the college authorities, too, would not be permitted to come out of the premises.  

The students alleged that nearly 700 girls living in the hostel were asked to vacate the accommodation.

“It is inhuman and it shows the dictatorial mentality of the principal. Those who raised their voice against the wrongdoing are being targeted. We are together and will keep on fighting till the matter reaches a logical conclusion,” said a group of students while protesting outside the office of Commissioner of Police.

Some heated moments

The two groups of protesting students entered into a heated argument with SAD leader Meetpal Singh Dugri after the latter apprised the protesters of the conversation held between the student delegation and the Police Commissioner.

The students were told by the leaders that the current issue did not fall under the preview of the Police Commissioner. “Still the Commissioner has assured us that he will take up the matter with the Deputy Commissioner.  So, it has been decided to end the protest today. We will again resume our protest on Wednesday if the things do not reach a logical conclusion,” Meetpal Singh Dugri and Gurdeep Singh Gosha said to the students in a joint statement.

Soon after their statement, a group of students accused the politicians of dillydallying the issue for their vested interests.  “The protest has entered the seventh day. Keep these politicians out of the protest. We will fight the battle on our own,” said a group of girls.

However, soon the student leaders Shivani Sharma, Preeti and Poonam Chaudhary brought the situation under control and praised politicians for offering their support to the protesters.  

Later, the students marched back to the college to end their protest. 

LIP supremo missing from scene

Absence of Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) supremo Simarjit Bains was conspicuous. Bains had played a key role in shaping the protest. He had also addressed students outside  the college. However, he did not join the protest on Monday. His absence triggered rumours that he had decided to stay away from the protest. Meanwhile, the SAD is actively participating in the protest.

Pent-up anger against principal

 A majority of the students maintained that the principal does not address their problems. They said the present issue was nothing but pent-up anger against the alleged rude behaviour of the principal. However, another student said Principal Charanjit Kaur Mahal had held the post for over a decade and had played a key role in the success of the institution. The agitating students had been harsh on her, the student added.