CHANDIGARH, Nov 27— Heavy security and widening rifts between Punjab and Haryana students led to a muted response to the Panjab University Bachao Morcha’s “PU Bandh” call on Thursday, with far fewer protesters on campus than anticipated.
Police, RAF units with nonlethal weapons, and water cannon vans were stationed across the university from early morning. Officials expected tensions to flare again after last night’s blockade of Gate No. 2 over the shifting of exam centers to DAV College.
But by midday, the protest site outside the Vice Chancellor’s office saw only scattered groups of students. Farmer-union representatives, who were expected at 11 a.m., arrived nearly four hours late.
“After the November 10 show of strength, Punjab students raised issues about Chandigarh’s status and other sensitive matters. That pushed many Haryana students away,” said one protesting student. “Unlike the last protest, today’s turnout was very low, even though outsiders kept arriving briefly.”
Morcha leaders had expected a strong show after spreading word of a campus “shutdown.” Instead, the language of the protest narrowed to demands for early Senate election notification, with students avoiding contentious slogans tied to Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh.
“The protest scene has changed completely,” said Mohit Manderana of PUCSC. “Students were earlier united over university issues. Now it feels like Punjab versus Haryana, and many don’t want to be part of that. The administration is also weak and unable to stand by its own decisions.”
Sandeep from the Bachao Morcha maintained the call had achieved its purpose. “The shutdown was peaceful and successful. Authorities gave in to our demands. They deployed state forces to stop people from joining, but even then the protest worked,” he said.
Some students said the low turnout was also because several leading protesters were attending the farmers’ rally in Sector 43.
The Administrative Block was heavily guarded, though campus gates were not barricaded. The university market stayed shut due to an announced holiday. Langar services continued at the protest camp as students vowed to keep their sit-in going.
