SFI Condemns PU Admin’s Move To Punish Fee Hike Protesters
Student Struggle Editorial Team
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has condemned the University of Pondicherry administration’s move to punish and debar 11 student protesters. The protesters were participants in a demonstration organised by the Pondicherry University Students’ Council against fee hike. The organisation has urged all “democratic forces” to come out in solidarity with the 11 students.
Read the statement below:
Pondicherry University administration has come up with a move to debar 11 students who participated in a peaceful, democratic protest against fee hike, almost two years after the protest was organized by the Pondicherry University Students’ Council. In this order issued on December 17, 2021, the university prohibits the students from enrolling in any courses offered by Pondicherry University or entering the campus premises. It also imposes a fine of Rs. 10,000 per head if they are to get their certificates from the university. The 11 students include Parichay Yadav of SFI, the elected President of Pondicherry University Students’ Council and Abhijeet Sudhakaran, the Unit Secretary of SFI during this period along with others in the SFI leadership. Even those students who have passed out from the university and joined other institutions face this unprecedented action. This is a move unheard of in the history of any premier educational institution in the country. On August 25, 2021, a show-cause notice (PU/AS/Aca-7/Disciplinary Action/2020-21/352) was served to eleven students who had participated in the protest held on February 6, 2020, about nineteen months after the mentioned incident. Thereupon, the students had replied to the aforementioned show-cause notice; but there was no further communication from University.
The “Fee Must Fall” movement led by Pondicherry University Students’ Council (2019-20) was part of a larger struggle across the country, against the commercialization of education. Students in large numbers participated in a march organized by the Students’ Council to the admin block on February 6, 2020, later staging a sit-in protest at the admin block which continued for 33 days, demanding the revocation of the massive fee hike in various courses. This included a police action and detention of the assembled students inside the campus, during the Vice President’s visit. This was the culmination of a series of struggles going on since the fee hike was proposed by the university. The previous Students’ Council(2018-19) had started the struggle soon after the prospectus with hiked fee structure was released by the university in 2019. Vice President Shonima Nelliat and executive member Bharati V. from this council went on an indefinite hunger strike in July 2019, forcing the administration to constitute a committee, with representatives both from the Students’ Council and the administration, to resolve the concerns raised. Students changed the mode of protest to occupy the admin block in February 2020, after this committee failed to address the fee hike issue as the Vice-Chancellor remained reluctant to meet the student representatives. In March 2020, students started an indefinite relay hunger strike which continued for over 10 days, till the court intervention on 10th March. Following a petition from the University Registrar, Madras High Court asked the students to withhold the sit-in protest to pave way for negotiations with the administration to resolve the issue. In turn, the HC also asked the University to approach the issue with an open mind and ensure an amicable settlement. This legal battle between the university administration and the Students’ Council is still going on.
The Pondicherry University administration’s order to debar 11 students, after two years of the mentioned incident, is issued just before the reopening of the campus. This is a clear attempt to threaten the students from involving in any democratic protests against the inhuman and autocratic attitude of the authorities. This draconian move from Pondicherry University administration must be opposed at any cost. SFI demands the immediate withdrawal of this unprecedented action against the students.
SFI urges all democratic forces to stand in solidarity with the protesting students.
Mayukh Biswas (General Secretary)
VP Sanu (President)
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