Protests erupt at Panjab university as students demand senate polls

Panjab University students on Monday held a protest on the campus here demanding the announcement of Senate polls, with some breaking through barricades, scaling entry gates and jostling with security personnel, who resorted to mild lathicharge to restore order. Many students, who wanted to enter the campus, could be seen arguing with the police personnel and raising slogans like "Go Back Chandigarh Police". Some groups of students jostled with police personnel in an effort to enter the campus and a few succeeded. Some students also climbed the university gates to enter the campus. The students, who have been protesting under the banner of 'Panjab University Bachao Morcha', were joined by farmer leaders, who pushed through police barricades erected along the Chandigarh-Mohali border.

According to sources, the PU authorities have submitted a detailed Senate poll schedule to the country's Vice-President, who is the Chancellor of the university, for his approval. Amid students' protests and mounting criticism from political leaders, the Ministry of Education on November 7 withdrew its October 28 order notifying the reconstitution and recomposition of the university's governing bodies -- Senate and Syndicate. Despite this, the students refused to end their agitation and called for a "university shutdown" on Monday to press the government to announce the schedule for the Senate elections, which have not been held in over a year. Heavy police deployment was made on and around the campus, the university's entry points were barricaded and checkpoints were set up on various roads.

Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur supervised the security arrangements. Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) vice-president Ashmeet Singh claimed that many students were being denied entry to the campus. Student leader Abhishek Dagar said the protest will continue till the Senate poll schedule is announced. Another protesting student said they will pressure the Centre to hold the Senate elections. During the protest on the campus, the students held placards reading "Students Unity Long Live". Some farmers affiliated with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) held a protest near Phase-6 in Punjab's Mohali after they were not allowed to enter Chandigarh, causing a traffic jam on the road. Later, the farmers broke through the barricades and started walking towards the university. Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, SKM (Non-Political) leaders, including Kaka Singh Kotra and M S Rai, managed to reach the university to support the students' protest. Security personnel in anti-riot gear were deployed along the Chandigarh-Mohali border. Barricades were erected and trucks laden with sand were stationed at the border.

Traffic slowed down at many places near the Chandigarh-Mohali border and was diverted to alternate routes. AAP MP Malvinder Kang criticised the Centre, alleging that it wanted to "capture" Panjab University and slammed the authorities for stopping students from taking part in the protest. Several political leaders from the ruling AAP, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and artists have extended their support to the protesting students. Punjab minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress MPs Dharamvira Gandhi and Amar Singh, Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh and former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal extended their support to the students on Sunday. The Centre's notification amended the Panjab University Act, 1947, reducing the strength of the Senate, the apex governing body, to 31 from 91, and doing away with elections for its executive body, the Syndicate.