Governor, Virbhadra differ over ongoing protests at HPU

SHIMLA: Protesting students of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) have become a talking point for governor and chief minister (CM) of the state. At a time when CM Virbhadra Singh encouraged strict action against protesting students, governor Acharya Devvrat called upon the teacher community to hold the fort.

Governor was of the opinion that teachers should talk to “derailed” students while CM favoured throwing them away from HPU.

On the occasion of 47th foundation day of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) governor Acharya Devvrat said responsibility of nation building is on teachers.

“Parents have faith on teacher community so they hand over their wards and if something goes wrong it is our (teacher’s) failure,” Devvrat said.

“The antisocial elements should not be hated. In our society, there is corruption and crime everywhere, children are not only witnessing but observing it,” he said. He cautioned teachers from participating in politics. “When you have chosen the education sector then why do you want to join dirty politics,” he said.

“The university is one of the excellent centres of learning for those who want to pursue their studies seriously,” said CM on the occasion.

It has been often observed that after vacations when the university reopens, political outfits misguide students and their only purpose is to create mischief, CM said.

“Such people neither study themselves nor let others to do their job and time has come to expel such miscreants, said Virbhadra Singh.

“They have become professional agitators and only take admission to create disturbance. University for such mischief makers is a gateway to enter politics, but they are mistaken,” he added.

The chief minister challenged such forces to fight open political battle during the assembly elections where they will come to know their actual stand.

“Staging Dharnas and vitiating the academic atmosphere won’t ever be tolerated and the guilty will be dealt with a heavy hand”, he said.