Tension at Panjab University as Police lathicharge protesting students

New Delhi: A peaceful protest at Panjab University turned violent on Wednesday when the Chandigarh Police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse students demanding the notification for the Senate elections. 

Students were attempting to approach the Law Auditorium where the Punjab Government was hosting an event titled "Vision Punjab 2047," attended by several ministers and business leaders.

The protest was initiated due to the significant delay in announcing the Senate elections, which are crucial for electing representatives to the university's highest decision-making body. According to university norms, notifications for such elections should be issued at least 240 days before the polling date, but no such notification has been released this year, leading to unrest among the student body.

Students from various organizations, including the Student Federation of India (SFI), Punjab Students Union (PSU), and others, gathered initially with the intent to march to the Vice Chancellor's residence. However, their plans shifted when they learned of the government event, deciding instead to make their presence felt near the auditorium. 

The situation escalated when police, concerned about maintaining order near the high-profile event, barred the students from advancing further. This led to a scuffle, and subsequently, the police used batons to control the crowd, resulting in several injuries among the protesters. Social media platforms were quick to react, with posts from users like @Partap_Sbajwa and @samitakaur74 condemning the use of force, highlighting the irony of discussing Punjab's future while students were manhandled.

Chandigarh Police resorted to a lathicharge on peacefully protesting Panjab University students demanding PU Senate elections. The protest took place near the Vision Punjab 2047 event organized by AAP MP Vikram Sawhney in the university’s Law Auditorium, where CM Bhagwant Mann,… pic.twitter.com/MmJdZMAvfa

— Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) November 13, 2024

The Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, who was present at the 'Vision Punjab 2047' event, has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.

The university administration has been approached for comments, but there has been no response at the time of this article's publication.