Patiala: Tension escalated at Punjabi University, Patiala, late Tuesday night when protesting students clashed with police during their ongoing agitation against increased fees and other demands.
The students, who have been protesting for the past eight days, were attempting to take out a ‘Jaago’ march towards the Vice-Chancellor’s residence. However, university authorities and a heavy police deployment stopped them, leading to a confrontation and pushing between the students and police.
The protesting students alleged that they were holding a peaceful march when police forcibly stopped them in an attempt to suppress their agitation.
Students oppose steep fee hike
The students claimed that fees for various courses and services had been increased by 16% to 102%, while hostel fees had reportedly been raised by 42%. They are demanding that the entire fee hike be withdrawn.
Apart from the fee issue, the students are demanding the construction of four new hostels at the university. They said work on hostels proposed under the Jagjivan Ram and PM-AJAY schemes has remained incomplete because the Punjab government has not released its share of the required funding.
The students have also demanded that the Punjab government waive the university’s outstanding debt of around ₹150 crore.
Although the campus remained peaceful on Thursday morning, protesting students said their agitation would continue until their demands are addressed.
