Tension and violence prevailed at the Panjab University campus in the morning hours of 11th April, 2017, as the agitating students gathered at the Vice Chancellor’s office. Police used all measures of force to disperse the protesting students who were pelting stones and shouting slogans against the recent fee hike. The students were slapped with sedition and criminal charges, which were later dropped on insistence by the university officials.
The police inflicted water cannons and tear gas to stop them. In spite of these atrocities, the students of Punjab University stood united for their cause. The row erupted at the PU campus following a senate approval stating”a hike in the fee structure of various courses at the Panjab University and the regional centers”.
About 60 people were injured and several were rushed to the hospital including 22 policemen and 5 media persons. In a written complaint submitted by the University officials, names of 60 students were given out of which 52 students were arrested.
This incident has yet gain sparked another debate on the freedom of speech in our country. The PU initially slapped charges on these students on the pretext of citing slogans against the state. The university authorities later asked the police to drop the sedition charges. They stated in writing that the students were protesting and raising slogans against the UGC, Ministry of human resource and development (MHRD), and the PU. The PU officials have, however, denied taking any U-turn, stating they never meant to levy any sedition charges.
A student named Jatin Garg, a resident of hostel no 4, was severely injured and suffered a broken jaw. As stated by his friends, he was rushed to the Advanced Trauma Centre at the PGI at around 1.30 pm. Among others who suffered injuries was a girl student named Madhuri.
Some eminent authorities expressed their concern over the incident:
“We have asked the UT SSP to drop the sedition charge. Raising slogans against the MHRD and the UGC is not anti-state or anti-national”.— Prof Arun Kumar Grover, VC
“Foisting the sedition charge on students protesting against the fee hike was preposterous. It is a clear example of intolerance.”— Pawan Kumar Bansal, Ex- Union Minister.
“We are thinking of resigning from our posts. Neither the authorities are listening to us nor are the students. No solution has been coming out. Today, some students pelted stones. This is not a way of protest.” — Nishant Kaushal, President Student Council PU