College students end protest

Jalandhar, November 19

Staying firm on their demand to register a case against HMV College principal Ajay Sareen under the Schedule Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly making casteist remarks against students, members of various groups belonging to the SC community continued their protest here today. Later, the students ended the protest after they were issued roll numbers by the college management.

Earlier, the students of the college, along with community group leaders, erected tents in front of the college gates to protest against the college management and the principal. Another group belonging to the SC community staged a dharna on the road leading to Workshop Chowk. The vehicular traffic remained hindered till late evening hours. The traffic was also diverted towards other routes. The protesters also raised slogans against the college authorities for asking fees from the students of SC community, enrolled under the Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) scheme. The protest, which began at around 10.30 am, ended at 7 pm after the agitating students were issued roll numbers by the college.

Jassi Talhan, president, Guru Ravidas Tiger Force, Punjab, said they would approach the Police Commissioner with a written complaint, seeking to file an FIR against the principal.

The university semester exams are commencing on Friday. Hence, the students demanded the college authorities to provide them roll number slips. Over 150 students from the SC community, who were enrolled under the PMS scheme, have been reportedly studying at the college.

In a bid to end the protest, the college issued roll numbers to the 166 agitating students without taking any fee and assured that the other students would be given the same on Wednesday, Talhan said.

Meanwhile, after getting assurance from ADC Jasbir Singh and DCP Gurmeet Singh that they would verify the matter regarding casteist remarks by the principal, BSP leader Sukhwinder Kotli said party leaders would intensify the protest, if students would be harassed by the college authorities again. — TNS