BHUBANESWAR: A group of students of Rajdhani College here on Wednesday staged demonstration in front of the campus and locked the institution for over an hour demanding infrastructure development.
The college, closed sine die on October 7 because of pre-students’ union poll violence, was reopened on Wednesday. Owing to the agitation, classes were affected for some hours. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the principal stating that the college has no adequate classrooms, drinking water facility, canteen and lavatories. Accusing the college administration of being apathetic, they threatened to take to the streets if their demands are not met soon.
The agitating students also shouted slogans against the college administration stating that the decision to scrap students’ union election was ‘undemocratic’ and declare sine die was uncalled for.
Students had resorted to violence on the campus on October 7 after seven nominations filed for the president post of students’ union were found invalid. Of the total nine nominations filed, only two were valid as the candidates had over 75 per cent attendance as set by the Lyngdoh Commission guideline. Attendance of the rest was below 50 per cent. Protesting this, students had staged demonstration and locked college gates demanding revalidation of the nomination papers. Apprehending trouble, the teachers’ council decided to close the institution sine die.
Principal of the college Jahanara Begum said all necessary steps are being taken in a phased manner for infrastructure development on the campus.
Similarly, Maharishi College of Natural Law here was reopened on Wednesday after it was closed sine die earlier this month following violence over college election. On October 7, students had taken to the street after all the nomination papers filed were rejected during scrutiny. Here, nominations of all 89 candidates were found invalid due to shortage of attendance and following this, the prospective candidates had accused the college management of being supportive towards candidates owing allegiance to a particular party.
Principal of the college Basant Sahu said the classes were held peacefully on the campus. He said all students, who had cried foul over their candidature being rejected due to lack of attendance, have been asked to get their attendance verified on November 6 in the presence of their parents.
A notification in this regard was issued by the principal on Wednesday.
