Celebration & protest mark Youth Day in Rohtak
Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) witnessed a mix of celebration and protest on Monday as the campus marked Swami Vivekanand’s birth anniversary and National Youth Day while representatives of various student organisations protested ban on entry of four students and questioned the recruitment process.
The MDU authorities organised a Swadeshi Sankalp Run, book exhibition based on the life and thoughts of Swami Vivekananda, a blood donation camp and a poster-making competition, aiming to instill the spirit of national service, self-reliance and human values among the youth.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Rajbir Singh inaugurated a book exhibition highlighting the life, philosophy, message to youth and contribution of Swami Vivekananda towards nation-building. The blood donation camp witnessed participation from students, faculty members and staff, who pledged their commitment towards humanitarian service.
Later, the Vice-Chancellor flagged off ‘Swadeshi Sankalp Run’ aimed to connect the youth with the ideals of Swami Vivekananda while motivating them to contribute towards an Atmanirbhar Bharat, promote the use of Swadeshi products and actively participate in nation-building.
In the poster-making competition, Mansi (Visual Arts) secured first position, Nandini (Visual Arts) stood second and Rohit (Department of Psychology) bagged the third position.
Under the aegis of the Samyukt Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti, representatives of various student organisations, who have been staging an indefinite dharna outside Gate No 2 of the university for the past over ten days, took out a protest march, demanding the removal of the Vice-Chancellor.
Pradeep Mota, president of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chhatra Sangathan, accused the university authorities of behaving like dictators toward the students. “Today, we held a march on the university campus to voice our protest. I have been observing a fast for the past three days to urge the state government to meet our demands. Four students, including me, have been expelled on false charges, while even a senior faculty member has also been denied entry into the university” he added.
Vikram Singh Dumolia, president of the Dr Ambedkar Missionaries Vidyarthi Association, alleged that the university had turned into a hub of corruption, where anyone who spoke against irregularities was being victimised. “Moreover, the roster system and standard operating procedures prescribed by the state government are being ignored during the recruitment process,” he alleged.
