Himachal Pradesh: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties yesterday staged a dharna at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla against the alleged illegal expulsion of six students from Centre of Excellence, Government Post Graduate College, Sanjauli and demanded that the students be reinstated immediately. Former SFI HPU campus president Falma Chauhan claimed that the principal illegally expelled the six students from the college after they staged a protest over various student-related issues. She said this was done to end their agitation. She said the reports of a girl student being molested at the college were shameful. “A group of students approached the principal demanding a fair inquiry into the incident, they also demanded the formation of a gender-sensitive committee in the college in line with Supreme Court guidelines to prevent such incidents in future. However, the college administration not only ignored their demands but also treated the students harshly and even resorted to physical violence against them,” Chauhan said.
“When the matter escalated, the college administration retaliated by illegally expelling the six students. He said that despite more than a month having passed, the expulsion has not been withdrawn, depriving the students of their right to education. Chauhan criticised the “authoritarian” attitude of the college administration, which he claimed has put the future of the expelled students at risk. However, he claimed that the administration remained indifferent to the concerns raised. He said that a delegation of the association met the university vice-chancellor and urged him to intervene in the matter. However, he said the university was not concerned about it. The association warned the college as well as university authorities that they would intensify their agitation if the expelled students were not reinstated.
