Pondicherry University: Students continue agitation; BJP requests Smriti Irani to remove VC

Intensifying their week old agitation, students of Pondicherry University on Monday demanded that the HRD Ministry immediately remove Vice Chancellor Chandra Krishnamoorthy, alleging there has been "administrative chaos" and "violation of human rights".

Student leaders, who addressed protestors, said their stir was to draw the attention of the HRD Ministry to their demand and initiate steps to remove the VC. The agitation was launched by 'Pondicherry University Students Movement', who have drawn up a charter of demands.

On Monday, BJP had also requested HRD Minister Smriti Irani to intervene to 'save' Pondicherry University, where students have been on a week long stir,demanding removal of Vice Chancellor Dr Chandra Krishnamoorthy for "administrative chaos" and "violation of human rights".

Students alleged that there was lack of adequate hostels, no drinking water and also other amenities. Students also alleged that there was "administrative chaos" and "violation of human rights". Police were deployed in strength at the University to ensure there was no untoward situation.

Leaders of the opposition Congress like V Vaithilingam, former Education Minister MOHF Shahjahan and Secretary of National Students Union of India S Sarath have expressed solidarity with the students by sitting along with them for a while and then addressing them.

Namassivayam, a PCC leader, said the students' demands were justified and should be conceded immediately. He said he had been keeping AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi apprised of the developments and urged him to take up their demands with the Centre. He also objected to last week's lathicharge of students, in which a number of students were reportedly injured and demanded that the government take action against the police officers responsible. On Tuesday,  the left parties also sought 'appropriate action' against the police officers who were responsible for the lathicharge against the students and demanded a judicial probe into this incident. 

On Tuesday, Left parties sought the intervention of the President to settle demands of students of Pondicherry University, who have been agitating for the past eight days, demanding removal of the Vice Chancellor for 'administrative chaos' and 'violation of human rights'.

CPI Secretary R Viswanathan, his counterpart in CPI(M) R Rajangam and CPI(ML) District Secretary G Palani signed a petition faxed to the President, pleading for a judicial probe into the lathicharge on protesting students.

The petition, a copy of which was distributed to reporters, urged the President to intervene expeditiously and remove the VC Chandra Krishnamoorthy from the post. It alleged that VC had plagiarised works of other authors in a book. 

Meanwhile, University officials told PTI that the Vice Chancellor was not able to turn up at her office ever since the protest broke out on July 27. She is keeping indoors in her official residence in the vicinity of the university, they said.