PU students refuse to call off stir

A day after Panjab University witnessed one of the largest student mobilisations in its history, the protesting students today refused to stand down until the Centre formally notifies the Senate election schedule under the pre-October 30 structure. Their indefinite dharna has entered its eleventh day.

The Centre had on November 7 rolled back the controversial PU overhaul notification — issued just a week earlier — after an unprecedented political storm in Punjab and Chandigarh. The confrontation was triggered following The Tribune’s November 1 expose on the planned restructuring of the Senate and Syndicate, which cascaded into a region-wide youth protest, rallies and intense political pressure that forced an unusually swift retreat by the Centre.

But the rollback has not quelled the anger.

On Sunday, Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig initiated the Senate poll process by forwarding the draft election schedule to Vice-President and PU Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan for approval. Students, however, dismissed it as “too little, too late,” insisting that nothing short of a formal notification issued by the Centre and published by the PU will end their agitation.

Emboldened by Monday’s massive “PU Bandh”, backed by farmers, political leaders, Nihang groups and civil society organisations, who broke police barricades to join them, the protesters today raised a fresh demand — withdraw the FIR registered against 14 students during last November’s agitation over the Senate polls.

“The PU authorities have repeatedly assured us for a year that the police cases would be withdrawn, but nothing has been done,” said Avtar Singh (SOPU) of the PU Bachao Morcha, which is spearheading the agitation. “We will not leave the protest site before our demand is met,” he added.

Meanwhile, around 200 students gathered near the VC office lawns. “Everyone is exhausted after yesterday’s bandh. The numbers will surge again tomorrow,” they said.

The national president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Varun Choudhary, will be visiting the protesting students tomorrow.

Over 200 police personnel remained deployed inside and around the campus through the day. All PU gates were partially regulated, with internal routes patrolled continuously.

RURAL PUNJAB JOINS THE CHORUS

A new front opened today with the “Save PU, Save Senate” sentiment spilling into rural Punjab. Multiple village panchayats, starting with Shahpur Theri in Sangrur, passed resolutions backing the students and demanding immediate Senate elections under the old structure. The resolutions also sought that the PU be formally declared Punjab’s university through legislative changes in the Vidhan Sabha and Parliament.

“Many panchayats have passed resolutions and dozens more are preparing to,” said Avtar Singh.?

NEW CHARTER OF DEMANDS

The PU Bachao Morcha issued a statement thanking masses from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring regions for joining Monday’s protest, while apologising for organisational lapses due to the rally’s unexpectedly huge turnout. It condemned the police for stopping protesters and questioned the presence of Punjab Police on the campus.

The Morcha submitted a charter of demands to the VC, seeking an assurance in writing that no new administrative decisions will be taken during the Senate election process, immediate withdrawal of pending cases against students, the scrapping of the vetting committee for speakers and all SOPs issued for PUCSC without student consultation, no recruitment without adherence to reservation policy and immediate declaration of the Senate election schedule.

“If the Centre continues delaying tactics, nothing will function normally on this campus — not even exams,” the statement read.

UNIVERSITY APPEALS FOR CALM

Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig reiterated that the administration respects democratic dissent but said academic stability cannot be compromised. “The PU has a proud tradition of intellectual vibrancy and mutual respect. A peaceful and stable environment is essential for research and teaching,” she said.

PU remained closed for the second day under the earlier two-day shutdown order.

STUDENT BODIES ON GROUND

SOPU, Student Front, SFS, PSU (Lalkaar), NSUI, Anti Affidavit Front, Sath, Punjabnaama, AISA, SWAP, ASAP, SOI, USO, PFUS, ISO and ASF

SIMMERING TENSION

Fear of Centre’s repeat attempts to restructure PU governance

Demand for FIR withdrawal pending for a year

Police barricades, checking on borders deepening distrust

Students say they will not allow “normalcy without accountability”