PU echoes with dhol beats as celebrations erupt

Panjab University students’ 27-day agitation — one of the longest and most intense student-led protests in the institution’s post-1966 history — today turned into a full-blown celebration as the PU Bachao Morcha announced a grand Fateh March on Friday morning to formally culminate and call off its indefinite dharna.

The decision came hours after the Vice-Chancellor met Morcha leaders at the protest site, handed them the official communication from the Vice-President-cum-Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan’s Secretariat approving the Senate poll schedule, and assured written acceptance of their remaining “genuine and legitimate” demands.

The breakthrough marks the final turning point in a movement that began on November 1 after The Tribune broke the PU overhaul story, sparking a fierce political storm across Punjab and Chandigarh. The Centre was forced to withdraw its controversial restructuring within a week through four notifications issued between October 30 and November 7, but the rollback failed to pacify the campus, which witnessed shutdowns, all-night gatherings, a historic youth mobilisation on November 10 and a relentless sit-in at the VC Office lawns.

Celebrations erupted this evening as news of the confirmed Senate poll notification — issued by the Vice-President, a copy of which is with The Tribune, on Thursday strictly under the pre-October 30 structure — spread across the dharna site.

The very lawns that had witnessed anger, frustration and cold-weather vigils all month transformed into a glowing arena of cheers, tears and chants. Students and supporters exchanged laddoos, gulab jamuns, hugs and high-fives; dhols arrived and an impromptu bhangra broke out amid fireworks and cries of “Chandigarh Punjab da! PU Punjab di! Saada haq ethhe rakh!” slogans reverberated through the campus as darkness fell, but the celebratory warmth only grew heavier in the winter air.

In a symbolic gesture, Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig walked to the protest site, first time during the agitation, offered sweets to students and informed them that both their core demands — withdrawal of the PU overhaul and approval of Senate polls as per the old structure — now stood fully met. She appealed to them to end the dharna, return to their classes and appear for ongoing semester exams, assuring that all pending demands would be addressed “sympathetically and through dialogue”.

Morcha leaders, however, insisted on a written assurance, citing several unmet verbal promises over the past year. The VC agreed, with the administration committing to deliver the written assurance by Friday morning.

PU Bachao Morcha coordinator Avtar Singh told The Tribune that once the written assurance is received, the month-long agitation will formally conclude with a Fateh March at 10 am on Friday. “This is a victory of the students, of Punjab, of democratic rights. The administration has agreed to fulfil our pending genuine demands in writing by tomorrow. After that, we will take out a grand Fateh March and end the dharna,” he said, thanking political, religious, social, civil society and farmer groups — including Nihang organisations of the Quami Insaaf Morcha — “who stood with us shoulder to shoulder against the Centre’s unconstitutional move”.

The celebrations also marked a dramatic reversal of yesterday’s escalation call, when the Morcha had announced a December 3 gherao of BJP leaders across Chandigarh and Punjab if the Senate poll notification was not issued by then. With Thursday’s communication from the Vice-President and today’s VC assurance, the confrontation that had begun to spread across the region appears headed for resolution.

Tonight, as langar continued non-stop — offering hot meals, tea, snacks, fruit and even dry fruits to thousands who have braved the cold — the dharna site finally felt like it was exhaling after nearly a month of unbroken tension. Students described it as a “historic victory to restore the democratic soul of a university born in Lahore in 1882 — a unique institution funded by both Centre and Punjab, belonging fully to neither, but cherished fiercely by both.”

Tomorrow’s Fateh March is expected to draw the largest gathering since November 10, symbolically closing a chapter that has already left a deep imprint on the political landscape of Punjab.

SENATE ELECTION SCHEDULE (As approved by the Vice-President)

January 2026: First formal poll notification

September 7, 2026 (Monday): Principals & staff of technical/professional colleges

September 14, 2026 (Monday): Professors of PU Teaching Departments

September 14, 2026 (Monday): Associate & Assistant Professors of PU Teaching Departments

September 20, 2026 (Sunday): Heads of affiliated arts colleges

September 20, 2026 (Sunday): Professors/Associate/Assistant Professors of affiliated arts colleges

September 20, 2026 (Sunday): Registered Graduates

October 4, 2026 (Sunday): Various Faculties on PU Campus

Counting of votes: September 22 for September 20 elections; September 16 for teachers’ constituencies

VC’S MESSAGE

Panjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Renu Vig expressed gratitude to the Vice-President and Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan for approving the Senate elections, calling it “an important step towards restoring a positive academic environment”.

She said the PU administration stands firmly with its students and teaching community, and assured that the election schedule will be announced shortly.

MORCHA’S POST-NOTIFICATION STAND

The Panjab University Bachao Morcha on Thursday described the approval of the Senate election schedule as a “historic victory”, but clarified that the protest has not ended.

The Morcha said a formal meeting with PU authorities will be held tomorrow to press for three pending demands:

1. Quashing of FIRs registered against 14 students from the previous Senate election protest.

2. Scrapping of the new SOPs issued by the University.

3. Scrapping of the committee formed to examine the re-affiliation of Haryana colleges.

The Morcha said the struggle will continue until all “remaining legitimate demands” are accepted.

HOW CAMPUS FIGHT TURNED NATIONAL FLASHPOINT

Oct 30: Centre announces sweeping overhaul of PU Senate/Syndicate.

Nov 1: The Tribune breaks the story; protests erupt instantly.

Oct 30-Nov 7: Facing backlash, Centre issues & withdraws four notifications in seven days.

Nov 9: VC submits Senate poll schedule to Chancellor under old structure.

Nov 10: Massive student uprising -- one of the biggest in PU’s history.

Nov 1-27: Indefinite dharna grows into a statewide movement backed by farmers, Nihangs, civil society.

Nov 26: Morcha announces Dec 3 gherao of BJP leadership.

Nov 27: Vice-President approves Senate poll schedule.

Nov 28: VC hands over official communication; celebrations erupt; dharna set to end on Nov 29.

WHAT THIS PROTEST ACHIEVED

Overhaul withdrawn; PU’s democratic structure fully restored.

Senate elections -- pending since Oct 2024 -- finally cleared.

Centre forced into unprecedented climbdown due to cross-party pressure.

PU students proved that disciplined, peaceful resistance can shift national policy.

WHAT IT MEANS

That collective student power, backed by Punjab’s social, political and farmers’ movements, can not only resist central overreach but also restore institutional democracy — an assertion of both identity and constitutional rights in a 142-year-old university.