Report:
Save Punjab University Agitation- a Success
On October 28, 2020, the central government dissolved the elected Punjab University Senate, which had 92 members. A new nominated Senate was notified by the Vice-Chancellor( VC) consisting of 31 members, including former ABVP( Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) students and representatives of the RSS( Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). The central government has been attempting to fill universities and other government institutions with people who share RSS ideologies for a long time. In line with this agenda, after the appointment of a new RSS-affiliated VC at Punjab University, the influence of RSS and ABVP in the university grew significantly.
Around June, PU issued an undemocratic affidavit mandating new joiners to sign it. It mandates“ prior permissions from the university to [ hold a ] protest, rally or dharna, etc.” This is an attempt to stifle any dissent by the students. It was then extended to second year students by July. Soon students started protesting. This is the prelude to the broader October protests.
The term of the previous senate ended in October 2024. The Centre is trying to do away with the poll process in PU since atleast 2021. So the new VC continued to delay the election process and then on October 28 th dissolved the Senate. This means that what was once a three-tiered democratic governance system— with checks and balances between the Senate, Syndicate and Vice-Chancellor— has now been replaced by a centralised administrative hierarchy dominated by nominees of the Centre. In response, student unions and organizations at the university formed the“ Punjab
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University Bachao Morcha”( Save Punjab University Front) and began an indefinite protest from October 29. They invited public organizations and SKM( Samyukta Kisan Morcha) to support their protest. Observing the situation, the VC gave temporary assurances to the students. The affidavit was withdrawn on Nov, 4 th, but the students declared that their protest would continue until the election notification was issued. In support of the students’ protest, all the farmer unions in Punjab, except the BJP( Bharatiya Janata Party) and AAP( Aam Aadmi Party), along with teacher unions and other employee unions, called for the“ Chalo PU”( March to PU) protest on November 10.
However, Punjab and Haryana police set up large barricades to prevent the protesters from reaching Chandigarh. Despite this, thousands of farmers broke through the barricades with tractors and bikes and reached the protest site at Punjab University. Along with the students, the farmers set up tents and joined the protest. The protest expanded significantly, with all organizations declaring their commitment to stop the take over of Punjab University and the RSS influence in the institution. In a symbolic act, students hung a puppet dressed in RSS-style khaki shorts, representing their opposition to RSS ideology in universities, outside the protest tents. The puppet remained hanging throughout the protest.
In solidarity with the protesters, thousands of people participated, and langars( community kitchens) were set up daily to provide food. People from nearby villages provided milk, tea, and other necessary provisions.
After 15 days of continuous protests, on November 26, the protesters called for the closure of Punjab University and a statewide shutdown of BJP offices. On the same day, thousands of people began heading toward Punjab University, and the government once again built barricades to prevent them from entering. On November 26, during SKM’ s fifth anniversary celebrations, farmers broke through the barricades with hundreds of tractors and entered the university campus. As the protests intensified, both the central and state governments, under pressure, initiated talks with the students on November 26. Accepting the students’ main demand, they issued a written notification on November 27, announcing the schedule for the Senate elections.
W ith the success of their struggle, on the 28 th, all the students gathered at the university to express their gratitude to the people of Punjab and the farmers who supported them. During the event, several student and farmer leaders spoke. Students and young people of Punjab University actively participated in cleaning the entire university, removing the tents that were set up during the protest.
The Punjab University Bachao Movement, which was conducted in a disciplined and united manner, effectively exposed the anti-people stance of parties like BJP and AAP. Through their solidarity, the students were able to assert their collective power. They succeeded in their democratic struggle to preserve the federal nature of the university. The students and farmers were able to thwart the BJP’ s plan to centralise control over the institution, and also“ dilute Punjab’ s claim on Chandigarh”.
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Class Struggle