PIL filed in HC over grievances of IIT Indore students

BHOPAL: THE IIT STUDENTS HAVE BEEN PROTESTING SINCE MIDJANUARY OVER POOR QUALITY FOOD IN THE INSTITUTION

AND LACK OF TRANSPORT FACILITIES

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Indore bench of the high court over grievances of IIT Indore students regarding poor food, lack of transport and other problems they are facing at the institute.

The students claim they have been voicing their concerns inside the campus as well as on social media for the past oneand-a-half months, but the administration has not only turned a deaf ear to their grievances but is also cracking down on dissent.

Advocate Pushyamitra Bhargava, who is representing petitioner Harshvardhan Sharma, a law student, said: “Since the IIT students cannot go against the administration, we have taken up the matter on their behalf.”

The case has been listed for hearing before the division bench of justice PK Jaiswal and justice Virendra Singh on March 5.

The IIT director, the Union government through the secretary, the human resource development ministry and the chairman of the IIT board of governors have been made respondents in the case.

Bhargava said as part of their relief, they have sought direction that there should be a forum for redressal of grievances of students.

“Either the government intervenes in the matter or the court appoints a committee to interact with the students and authorities and find a solution. If what is being written in the media is true, then the matter is serious in this institute of national repute,” he said.

The IIT students have been protesting since mid-January over poor quality food in the institution and lack of transport facilities.

There were also issues related to personal freedom and disbanding of the student’s union. The students alleged that the Gymkhana was disbanded as the authorities believed that the body was leading the dissent among them.

As a mark of protest, the students gheraoed director PK Mathur’s office and house on a couple of occasions but none of their demands were met.

“Students who were leading the movement were targeted and threatened that their career would be ruined. To put more pressure on them, their parents were called and warned that their wards would be rusticated,” a student said.

However, they continued their protest through social media and received support from all over the country.