An all-party student protest at Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, has kept the road in front of the university’s Administration Block blocked for over 24 hours. Students are demanding the removal of what they say is excessive police deployment and checkpoints (“nakas”) on campus.
The protest began on Wednesday and continued into Thursday night, despite heavy rain. Students said they would not leave until their demands were met. Police said they hoped to get the protest lifted by Friday because of the Independence Day celebrations.
On Thursday morning, police presence around the protest area was slightly reduced as some students joined other planned activities. The Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) organised a “tiranga rally” from the Chemistry canteen to the Students Centre in the afternoon. Later in the evening, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also held its own tiranga rally.
Another student group, the Student Front party, staged a separate protest in front of the vice-chancellor’s office on Thursday afternoon. Police and campus security were also present there.
The main protest in front of the admin block took on a patriotic tone, with students waving flags alongside placards. They said they wanted “freedom” from what they called the “oppressive policies of PU.”
On Thursday morning, the dean students welfare (DSW), Amit Chauhan, met with PU security staff. Students were invited to join the meeting at 11:30 am, but they refused, saying they were not properly informed and insisting any discussion should take place at the protest site instead.
DSW Chauhan said the students were told the police checkpoints would remain in place. He explained that the deployment was for their safety and that student representatives had already agreed to it in a meeting with the UT senior superintendent of police (SSP) on Monday. Chauhan also asked the protesters to clear the road, pointing out that police needed to prepare for Independence Day security.
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On Thursday evening, students held an all-party meeting at the protest site. Harkamal Singh Bhuregill, election in charge of the Students Organisation of India (SOI), said, “It is unfortunate that the authorities are enforcing this on us. We will hold a protest march on Thursday night and also plan a protest for Friday.”
Bhuregill also criticised the absence of the immediate past president of the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC), Anurag Dalal, accusing him of siding with the authorities.
PU officials have said they have asked police to take control if the protest situation worsens. For now, students remain firm in their demand that the nakas be removed, while the university insists they are necessary for security.
The standoff continues, with both sides unwilling to back down before the Independence Day celebrations.
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