C'garh: HNLU students go on indefinite strike against VC

Students of the Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) on Monday began an indefinite hunger strike, demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Sukhpal Singh over non-addressal of sexual harassment complaints and financial irregularities in the varsity among others.

Student leader Ranjan Shukla told ANI that the students raised the issues before the Vice-Chancellor time and again but no action was taken. "I have been a student of this university for the last two-and-half years. We have raised the issues we face time and again but it fell on deaf ears. The Vice-Chancellor never bothered to listen to our demands. Even when the High Court stepped in and made his appointment a legal one, the ad-hoc vice-chancellor that time accepted most of our demands. Even seven out of our 14 demands were accepted. Why are we still not getting grants despite the government supporting the university? Even the research centre that was collaborated with the government has not yet been established. We presented all these issues to Vice-Chancellor Sukhpal Singh. But, he came up with some baseless explanations," Shukla said.

Echoing similar views, a fifth-year student Jaya revealed that the administration has even threatened to suspend classes if the protest was not called off. "We finally called for a hunger strike because they never bothered to listen to our demands. As long as Professor Sukhpal Singh is not resigning from his position, we will continue with our strike," she added.

Appealing the students to call off their hunger strike, the Vice-Chancellor said that almost all the demands of the students have been met. "I have been dealing with their demands almost every day but they are not ready to listen. I also told them that I am ready to accept their demands if that are in accordance with the law. Until now, all their demands have been met except the one that calls for my resignation. To me, resignation is not a solution for any problem," Singh told ANI.