JU impasse: Students' sit-in protests enter second day

Students of Jadavpur University went on with their sit-in for the second day today to protest against provisions of a bill that effectively dissolves the student unions.
The protesters sat in front of the meeting room of the Executive Council members today.
The agitating students have been demanding immediate revocation of the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Bill 2017, which had been passed in the West Bengal Assembly last year.
The students apprehend that the provisions of the bill will take away their democratic rights.
"The sit-in will continue till the vice-chancellor and EC take emphatic steps to ensure the students union elections are held before January 31, and the students union is not superceded by an apolitical Students' Council," an Arts Faculty Students' Union (AFSU) leader said.

"The VC should communicate our sentiments to the Higher Education Department, as well as the sentiments of teachers and the non-teaching staff," she said.

The members of AFSU and Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students Union (FETSU) have been sitting outside the Aurobindo Bhavan of JU since 4 pm yesterday.
"The university will always take the students in confidence and never oppose any democratic movement, but we have nothing to do with the bill. We have already communicated the sentiments of students to the Higher Education Department," VC Prof Suranjan Das had said yesterday.
A member of Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) said, "We are trying to break the current impasse by drafting a resolution which will convey the sentiments of students and all the stakeholders of the university on the issue."

A FETSU member said a general body meeting of the sttudents has been called today.
In August, agitating students had gheraoed the VC and other EC members on the same issue for over 36 hours.