Vacate Shahpur college building: Students to central varsity staff
SHAHPUR: On one hand the students across Himachal have hit the roads protesting against poor results of undergraduate classes, a high-voltage drama unfolded at Shahpur where students of local degree college barged into the Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) campus and demanded the authorities to vacate the premises.
The students’ protest came a day before a central site selection committee’s visit for the inspection of land allotted to CUHP at Jadrangal near Dharamshala town.
Started in 2010, the CUHP doesn’t have its own campus and functions from a building meant for the Government Degree College, Shahpur, while the college is being run from a building from a hostel building.
The present college building, which is in depilated conditions, has only seven class rooms for as many as 1,500 students and sans library and laboratory facilities.
Meanwhile, protesting students, under the banner of right-oriented Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), staged a sit-in protest at the main entrance of the CUHP campus and also entered the premises chanting slogans.
Sources said the protesting college students also forced the CUHP students out of their classrooms.
“We want our campus back. We have a right to a decent campus to study. Moreover, why should we suffer for others,” said Abhishek Pandit, a student leader.
This campus, Pandit said, was given to the CUHP on lease for only a year, but the varsity could not bring up its own campus for six years now, while students of Shahpur College are forced to accommodate in a building that resembles more like a stable than an educational institution.
Pandit said the college building lacks necessary facilities like library and laboratories for the science stream students.
“Besides, the roof of the college building leaks during rains, making it difficult for the students to attend classes,” alleged Pandit, adding that they have given the CUHP authorities six month ultimatum to vacate the premises.
If our demand is not met within the deadline, Pandit said, college students will be forced to occupy the building.
As the news spread, Kangra additional district magistrate (ADM) Balbir Thakur, along with police officials, rushed to the spot and held a meeting with the CUHP authorities. He also met the protesting students and assured that their issues will be resolved as soon as possible.