Hisar Agri varsity students-govt talks break down

The two days of talks between the government-appointed committee and protesting students of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) in Hisar have broken down without a positive outcome.

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After marathon meetings over two days, Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda said the government intervened to break the impasse on the initiative of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and held a dialogue with students and faculty members as well.

He said despite the state government accepting all demands of the students, the protestors have remained firm on their primary condition — the immediate suspension of Vice-Chancellor Prof BR Kamboj.

“We agreed to all points raised by the protestors except the immediate removal of the VC, which is a procedural issue. After multiple rounds of talks, the discussions have come to a standstill because the students are insistent on removal of the Vice-Chancellor. We have assured them we will consider this demand as well, but it will take time as it must follow due process,” said Dhanda. “Still, the protesting students remain adamant,” he added.

Dhanda alleged that the students’ agitation has taken a political turn, claiming that certain opposition leaders have politicised the issue and that some external elements appear to be influencing the protest and pushing their own political agenda through the students.

“The students are refusing to cooperate with the government and the administration. The future of students is at stake, and I appeal to political leaders not to exploit this issue for their own gain,” the minister said.

Dhanda also alleged that some faculty members claimed the Vice-Chancellor’s official vehicle was attacked and gheraoed by the students, and stones were pelted at the residences of faculty members. He added that there was video evidence of these incidents.

He targeted the Congress, alleging that those waving copies of the Constitution should also understand that every action must take place within the constitutional framework. “The students are being misled and provoked for the summary dismissal of the VC, which is against the Constitution,” he said.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Krishan Bedi also alleged that the agitation was being manipulated by external forces and was no longer merely a student issue. “The script of the agitation is being written somewhere else,” Bedi said, adding that political leaders should stay away from such sensitive issues concerning students.

On the other hand, student leaders said the committee urged them to call off the protest and agreed on lesser important issues. “However, the students collectively rejected the suggestion. There can be no talks until the Vice Chancellor is removed from office,” they stated.

They alleged that the VC was responsible for the June 10 violence on campus and other issues, adding that any investigation would be meaningless as long as he remains in office.

Meanwhile, 25 first-year students from the 2024 batch observed a one-day symbolic hunger strike in solidarity with senior students.

As the talks failed, the students are now gearing up for the ‘Student Justice Mahapanchayat’ on June 24. Ten outreach teams have been mobilised to connect with farmers and rural communities. These student outreach teams have been dispatched to Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Jind, and Bhiwani districts, where they are engaging with a cross section of society.