It is opined that things changed after the dailies, including English and Hindi, started their local publications. More than six newspapers have reporters handling the beat specifically. Even a small happening can sometimes make big news. Student leaders stay well connected to the reporters in passing on information.

Kuljit Singh Nagra, a former president of the Panjab University Student Union, talking to The Tribune correspondent earlier had remarked “We used to organise ‘dharnas’ for days. Even if the authorities accepted our demands, few of us had to rush to offices of the newspapers individually to get the news printed”. He was on the campus for more than a decade.

“Now many a time even when the things are just at the level of a proposal, newspapers give them wide coverage. It is worth pointing out that any issue first comes at the level of a sub-committee. It is then sent to the committee and Syndicate and then the Senate” Nagra said.

Mohit Sareen, press secretary of PUSU, also accepts the fact that the Press had given an impetus to student activism at PU. He, however, feels that the issue had both the sides of a coin attached to it. Students were getting the advantage of negative publicity. However, certain vital issues that remained buried under the carpet because students had no platform to express their concerns are now brought in the open. What is wrong in lengthy debates on academic issues? When any proposal comes out in detail before the students and the teaching community, the authorities can have a feedback before any decision.

Saurabh Joshi, general secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, said the Press had given a wider platform, at least to students, to voice their concerns. “A small problem meant a great deal to each student. Earlier, small issues were sometimes ignored,” he added.

Ever since the election process has restarted, the campus is a witness to a series of violent activities each year. A majority of the presidents elected to the Panjab University Campus Student Council, including Dayal Pratap Singh Randhawa, Bhupinder Singh Bhuppi, Santokhwinder Singh Nabha and Malwinder Singh Kang have featured in one FIR or the other.

“Pick up any newspaper during these days after admissions, and a reader often sees the face of the students arrested in the brawls or some bleeding profusely after a fight. Strange, it may appear but this has worked as strong agents of publicity for the students as was evident from the results”, a girl student said.

A fellow reporter said: “It was wrong to hold the newspapers responsible for any societal change of this sort. Newspapers only report what is happening daily. Local newspapers have increased and so has space for every area of society. Issue-less student politics, fights, hidden faces which steer student politics and several other related subjects are important for everyone to know”.

Students themselves are vying to take maximum space in each paper, on one pretext or the other. Take an example of a ‘dharna’ in front of the Vice Chancellor’s office last week. The correspondent received about six calls initially, from three student organisations, one evening. The message was common to all the calls. “ Don’t give the credit to the rival student organisation. This was our doing. None of them clearly spelt out the real issue”.

As many as 29 students were taken to the police station and let-off later. The issue concerned the students of the B Sc(honours school). The organisations were the ABVP, the PUSU and a rival faction of the PUSU.

In another incident, Khushbaz Singh Jattana, president of the Students organisation of Panjab University, was running away from police after he was named as one of the accused in the murderous attack on Kang. He was in regular touch with The Tribune for the first two days while the police searched for him desperately. The next two days his “exclusive” interviews appeared in two other English dailies. “His interview was presented as if he was a hero”, a cop remarked.

One of the leaders, who is in custody, at the moment asked for the photographer “every second day” even for very trifle issues. An elder brother of another prominent student leader gives calls on behalf of his brother for arranging photographers and news. Interestingly, several of these calls came from New Delhi about a programme to be held in the city, a little later in the day.

“Why is one concerned just about the negative publicity? There is also a positive side to the greater role of the Press. Even small functions in the classrooms and hostels are covered. A topper or winner in contest gets due place in the columns of newspapers. Everyone has more place to speak one’s concerns for education and students”, a senior teacher said.

A fellow of the university senate said, “Press was not a scary creature. It was only an agency that kept a close tab on the daily happenings. In the process, many secrets that remained buried deep under were often uncovered. Look at the scandals like one’s detected in examination, evaluation and several other for personal gains. There has been no indication that any one of the cases was reported with any ulterior motives. Certain things, like too much space to student violence, might need a relook, however, in the overall interest, Press has played a very positive role”.

Pawan Valecha, another fellow, said he had never seen any other university so exclusively and widely covered as PU. The issue under discussion had both the positive and negative sides to it that needed a discussion. Infact, the university should organise a seminar and the recommendations would be interesting to ponder upon, both for the university residents and the newspapers.