Presidency varsity V-C gherao lifted, students continue stir

A 26-hour-long gherao of Presidency University Vice-Chancellor Anuradha Lohia ended on Saturday night after she left the campus following the convocation saying she is unwell, but <g data-gr-id="68">demonstration</g> by students continued.

“I am feeling unwell and therefore leaving the campus now,” Lohia said an hour after the convocation and the students allowed her to go.

The students, however, insisted on her resignation saying they would continue to occupy the office. “We had decided to allow her leave the campus since she has been feeling unwell, but our protests will continue. We will continue to occupy the office till she resigns,” Trisha Chanda, general secretary of the students union, said.

The boycott call given by a section of protesting students failed to cast <g data-gr-id="67">shadow</g> over the convocation ceremony which was attended by students in large numbers.

The mood at the university campus was divided as many students shouted ‘We want convocation’ while others raised slogans demanding the V-C’s resignation over alleged police assault on students protesting during West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to the campus on Friday.

A couple of hours before the convocation, the V-C was escorted by teachers from her office to the function hall on the other end of the sprawling campus. The convocation was attended by Governor K N Tripathi, who is also the chancellor of the university. During her convocation speech, Lohia referred to the agitation saying every challenge is an opportunity.

“My faculty and students stood by me and made sure that nothing marred the convocation. Thank <g data-gr-id="63">you</g> faculty, thank <g data-gr-id="64">you</g> students,” she said. .

The protesting students, adamant over their demand of resignation, allowed the VC to attend the convocation but had earlier barred her from leaving the office since about 5 pm on Friday when the protests started.

“We did not do anything to disrupt the ceremony. We decided that we will allow her to go but will not leave the office till she resigns,” they said.

The university registrar, teachers and other senior officials were also present along with Lohia during the gherao. 

“It is not just about the chief minister’s visit yesterday and the following police assault on our students. The V-C has failed on a number of counts in the past also,” the students said.

Eminent scientist Padmanabhan Balaram, who was the chief guest at the function, said “Students must respect their parents and they must respect their teachers. How much respect do teachers get? Very little from the surroundings, very little from the students.”