Congress, Akali Dal join students’ protest for PU Senate election

The demand for early elections to Panjab University’s governing body — Senate grew louder today after the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders reached the university campus to lend their support to the protesting students.

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh, Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Shiromani Akali Dal working president Balwinder Singh Bhunder, former Punjab Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema, former MLAs Kuljit Singh Nagra, Kushaldeep Singh Kiki Dhillon, Dalvir Singh Goldy Khangura and youth leader Brinder Singh Dhillon reached out to the students.

The leaders held a press conference before proceeding to join the students who are protesting under the banner of ‘Panjab University Bachao Morcha’ outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office.

They agreed to form an all-party committee to pursue the matter of the Senate polls and raise the issue in Parliament.

While the Congress and SAD leaders came together to protest against the Centre and alleged that the delay in conducting the elections to Senate was a deliberate attempt to take control of the university, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is in power in Punjab, was conspicuous by its absence.

A few days ago, AAP’s Anandpur Sahib MP Malwinder Kang, who had shot off a letter to the Chancellor on the matter, had arrived in support of the protesters and conveyed to them that the Punjab Education Minister had also written to the Chancellor over the Senate poll issue.

Targeting Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, LoP Bajwa alleged that, “The CM has given his consent to the Centre to dilute the democratic structure of this prestigious university. The attempt to scrap Senate cannot happen without Punjab CM’s knowledge and say.” Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira also attacked the AAP and said CM Mann should withdraw the consent, if already given, and make it clear that the university will not be centralised.

SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, “This is another strike by the BJP on institutions in Punjab. Earlier, they broke the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and formed a different body in Haryana. The BJP should know that Senate cannot be scrapped without amending the Act and we all will defend the stakes of Punjab.”

Pertinent to mention that the tenure of Senate got over on October 31 and no notification has been issued by the authorities for conducting elections. Five senators had approached the High Court claiming that the tenure was wrongfully started in back date and should be ending next year. The matter has been deferred to December and no interim relief was granted by the court.

The political leaders also spoke to the students sitting on protest outside the VC office and raised slogans against the Central Government.

Tewari meets Vice-President over poll delay

Chandigarh MP and Congress leader Manish Tewari met Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is also the Chancellor of Panjab University, and apprised him of the issue of the delay in elections to Senate, the university’s governing body.

Posting about the meeting on his X handle, Tewari wrote, “Had a wide ranging conversation including the issues of @OfficialPU especially the hiatus of the Senate elections.”