PU students protest on campus, demand semester fee waiver
THE STUDENTS ALLEGED THAT THE SECURITY PERSONNEL DEPLOYED AT THE UNIVERSITY MANHANDLED THEM, DISRUPTED THEIR STIR, AND THEY WOULD HIGHLIGHT THE ISSUE
CHANDIGARH:THE students of Panjab University (PU) on Friday protested outside the administration block on the campus demanding waiver of semester fee amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The all-party protest was joined by student leaders of different organisations, including Students For Society (SFS), Punjab Students Union (Psu-lalkaar), All India Students Association (AISA), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), Students Organisation of India (SOI), among others.
PU had asked students to deposit their semester fee till August 10 to be allowed to attend the online classes.
SFS leader and former PU Student Council president Kanupriya said, “Students in higher educational institutes such as PU come from varied socio-economic backgrounds. In the current pandemic situation, instead of giving relief, the authorities have furthered the fear by releasing such notices demanding fee from students.”
During the protest, students raised slogans against the PU administration and demanded that the fee should be waived off for this semester. A joint memorandum was also submitted to the university by the students.
Aman, a Psu-lalkaar leader, said, “We are united, and in view of the present situation, we demand that the semester fee should be waived off. We registered a protest to mark our dissent against PU’S demand for fee.”
A commotion was also reported the students and security guards when the former tried to enter the administration block of the university. A woman constable reportedly fell on the ground after being pushed around.
“Security guards of the university manhandled the students and disrupted the protest. They have now assured us that a meeting will be held to discuss the issue,” said Chetan Chaudhary, former president of PUCSC.
Dean Students’ Welfare S K Tomar said, “The students have given me their memorandum of demands and I have forwarded the same to the authorities. Now, the university will look into the matter.”