Patiala, March 11
On a call given by the Joint Action Committee of Punjabi University, which is spearheading an agitation for the ouster of Vice-Chancellor Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, teachers, students and employees sat in dharna in front of the office of the VC. They urged the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, to act swiftly.

The dharna was organised as part of the continuing agitation for the ouster and arrest of the VC for his alleged involvement in the murderous attack on university teacher Dr H S Bhatti as well as in support of Saru Rana, who has accused the VC of moral turpitude.

The various speakers at the dharna, including JAC convener Dr U C Singh and co-convener Sukhwant Singh Sidhu, expressed anguish that Dr Ahluwalia continued to function as VC from hiding, even after serious criminal cases had been filed against him.

They said, meanwhile, the functioning of the university stood paralysed and uncertainty prevailed on the campus. The leaders said it was intriguing that the state government had not taken action against the VC till now.

They said Dr Ahluwalia did not have any regard for values nor cared for rules and regulations of the university and would not resign on his own. He would have to be pushed out.

The leaders said any delay in ousting Dr Ahluwalia would lead to further deterioration of the situation on the campus and loss to studies and would tarnish the already sullied image of the institution.

The JAC leaders said justice could not be delivered by mere ouster of Dr Ahluwalia and that he should be immediately arrested and a thorough probe should be instituted by an independent agency into his functioning.