Punjabi University students, staff launch protest over grant in Patiala

Patiala, March 13

Students as well as faculty members of Punjabi University here today launched a joint protest demanding enhanced grants from the state government.

The students shut one side of the entrance during the protest. Various works related to examinations, research and academics came to a halt.

Hollow promises

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The government, especially the Chief Minister himself, has assured the university of extending monetary assistance numerous times, but has failed to release any funds. We have decided to hold an indefinite protest at the university gate. A student

The protest follows the state government’s failure to allocate funds to the university in the budget as per its demands. Though, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema later assured the Vidhan Sabha that there would be no dearth of funds for any university in the state

The students blocked the university gates at 11 am. They said they would hold the protest for an indefinite period.

Rashpinder Jimmy, an activist associated with the Punjab Radical Student Union (PRSU), said they would continue their protest till their demands were met. “The students as well as employees of the university have launched a collective front under the banner of the ‘Punjabi University bachao morcha’. Our only demand is that the state government should provide grants to the university as per its requirements every year. The government should also waive the university’s loan. We will hold regular protests not only on the campus but also at constituent colleges, neighbourhood campuses and regional centres,” he said.

“The state government, especially the Chief Minister himself, has assured the university of extending monetary assistance numerous times, but has failed to release any funds. We have decided to hold an indefinite protest at the university gate. Students as well as faculty members will participate in this indefinite protest till our demands are met,” said Sandeep Kaur, another student.