BHU students protest for UGC bill implementation; police deployed as OBC, SC-ST groups lead stir

On Tuesday afternoon, disagreement with the UGC Bill spread to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) where a group of students protested vehemently. The student issues raised were sufficiently loud to have attracted the attention of the university administration and local police rapidly.

Protest Governed By Social Justice

The protest mainly featured the students from the OBC, SC and ST categories. The event unfolded close to the Vishwanath Temple (VT) on the campus.

The protestors demanded the government implement the bill without delay. Community based organisations from these groups had been holding a number of meetings before the rally on Tuesday. Students continued to accumulate with their placards and banners in the afternoon at the Temple complex.

While the protest slogans grew louder, the university administration increased its action. The protesters were very determined for a long time, showing banners while the officials of the administration tried to convince them to leave the place. In order to keep order and prevent any trouble, a heavy police presence was established throughout the campus. The police allowed the students to protest peacefully but remained vigilant in order to prevent any breach of security.

Students' Demands For Equality

The protesting students claimed that the implementation of the UGC Bill would be an equalizer in the higher education sector and create more opportunities. They said that this bill is one of the instruments to guarantee social justice in the educational domain. "It is not only about our rights; it is about all the students' future, " the protesters expressed their unity in the struggle for the administration to change.

Ongoing Movement

Despite several attempts by the university staff to calm the students and persuade them to stop the protest, the students still continued their sit, in demonstration. The university campus is kept under very strict security, and the student groups have declared that they will not cease their struggle until their demands are met.

The clash between the officials and the student body was protracted till very late hours, the security guards were watching.