Presidency row: VC, registrar stopped from entering campus

The vice-chancellor and registrar of Presidency University were stopped from entering the institute's campus Monday by a section of agitating students, who blocked the main gate demanding immediate accommodation in an adjacent hostel.

Ujan, a member of Independent Consolidation (IC) and one of the 50 students who had been agitating at the institute since August 3, said he inspected Hindu Hostel Sunday along with others and found two blocks ready for use.

"The authorities have been claiming that the hostel is undergoing renovation work, but we found out that two of the six blocks are suitable for use. With no solution in sight, we bolted the main gate in the morning, demanding we be allowed to put up in those two blocks," he said.

VC Anuradha Lohia, who had to return from the gate along with Registrar Debajyoti Konar, expressed concern that the agitation might affect tomorrow's convocation ceremony.

"Only a section of students are involved in such activities (protest). I don't want tomorrow's (Tuesday) convocation ceremony to get affected in any way," she said.

Lohia, however, clarified that she would not seek police help to sort out the matter under any circumstances.

Ujan, on behalf of the agitating students, said the university authorities should have taken note of the students who fell ill during the course of the agitation.

"We are not against the convocation ceremony as it involves the prestige of Presidency. But the authorities must take a note of the fact that 14 of our batch mates fell ill since August 3 and one of them is still recovering in hospital," he said, adding that the authorities were insensitive to their plight.

The vice chancellor had on several occasions in the past urged the students to wait for another six months for the completion of the repair work.

Asked about reports of three to four agitating students suffering from malaria and viral fever, Lohia had said, "I have been requesting the students to take care of their health, not to lie on campus veranda, but return to their present rented accommodation at New Town."