Lucknow, 18 February. Lucknow University campus was seen turning into an arena on Wednesday when various student organizations came out on the streets to protest against the program of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat.
Even before Mohan Bhagwat could reach the ‘Shodharthi Samvad’ program organized in the Malviya Auditorium of the campus, workers of NSUI, Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and Bhim Army opened a front. The protesting students raised slogans against the university administration and the union with slogans of ‘Go Back’. The situation became tense when police had to use force to stop the protesters and several students were taken into custody after a heated altercation.
‘go back‘ The campus echoed with slogans, students clash with police
According to the scheduled program, Dr. Bhagwat was to have a direct interaction with the researchers of the university from 10.30 am. As soon as student organizations came to know about this, a large number of students gathered near the cashier’s office. The protesting students were protesting against the arrival of the Sangh chief with placards in their hands. During the demonstration, there was a fierce clash between the students and the police. The students tried to break the barricades, after which the police showed strictness and picked up the protesters from the spot, took them into custody and took them in vehicles to the police station.
Silence on UGC issue and ‘Partiality‘ serious allegations of
NSUI worker Shubham Kharwar, who was leading the protest, launched a scathing attack on the university administration. He alleged that the Lucknow University administration has completely sat in the lap of the Sangh. The main demand of the protesters was that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat clarify his stand in support of the controversial decisions of the UGC and the Supreme Court’s stay on it. Students raised the question that when the Supreme Court has intervened on the issue of UGC, then why is the head of such a big organization of the country silent on it? He said that the ideology of the Sangh is being forcibly imposed in educational institutions, which will not be tolerated.
Hall locks open only for saffron organizations
The protesting students accused the LU administration of bias, saying that the university auditorium is made available only for the programs of RSS and ABVP. Workers of Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha said that whenever opposition student organizations demand a hall for any academic or social discussion, they are deferred citing rules, but under pressure from the BJP government, the university administration spreads the red carpet for the organization’s events. Calling it an insult to the temple of democracy and education, the students have warned of an even bigger movement in the future. At present, heavy police force is deployed on the campus and the situation is under control.
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