Chandigarh, Nov 22: Student unrest at Panjab University intensified on Saturday as the indefinite protest against the Centre’s stalled Senate election notification rolled into its 22nd day, with organisers warning they will shut down the campus on November 26 if the Union Government does not respond by the previous evening. The movement, backed by farmer unions, social organisations, religious groups and Nihang factions, is gearing up for what could be the largest mobilisation on campus since the unprecedented youth uprising of November 10.
The agitation stems from a controversial set of notifications that sought to overhaul PU’s governance structure earlier this month. After widespread backlash across Punjab and Chandigarh, the Centre withdrew the changes between October 30 and November 7, issuing four separate notifications. However, according to the protesters, the Union Government has refused to act on the crucial question of holding Senate elections under the original rules.
Student groups say the demand remains untouched despite Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig sending the formal recommendation to Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan on November 9. Two weeks later, the file remains stuck, and pressure on the Centre has continued to build.
The dharna outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office has operated without pause, supported by langars and volunteers as students commit to a prolonged standoff. Morcha leaders repeated their ultimatum on Saturday, saying the bandh would halt all teaching, administration and university transportation.
Fresh political support arrived in the form of former Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa’s visit to the protest camp. “I joined the Panjab University Bachao Morcha today,” Dhindsa said, urging the Centre to end the uncertainty. “PU is not merely an institution. It represents Punjab’s identity and legacy. The Prime Minister should acknowledge this and take timely action,” he stated.
As the standoff persists, the run-up to November 26 is expected to be decisive for a protest that has rapidly grown into one of the most sustained student actions in recent memory.
