After the failure of tripartite talks, the students of Assam University (AU) on Monday decided to continue their hunger strike against the rustication order of a student in front of the university gate.
Cachar deputy commissioner Barnali Sharma on Monday called the striking students and university authorities at the DC’s office to discuss the issue.
The university authorities said they were ready to withdraw the order against Milan Das — who was rusticated from the university on February 8 for two years for his alleged unlawful activities — if he submitted a written apology and assured them that such acts would not be repeated.
The students told the authorities that Das could pray for withdrawal of the order, but the proposal was rejected.
The general secretary of the Assam University Students’ Union (AUSU), Aritra Dhar, said they had rejected the appeal of the district administration and the university authorities to withdraw the strike unconditionally. AUSU president Biswarup Bhattacharjee alleged that the democratic rights of the students had been violated and said they would continue their democratic movement till the rustication order was revoked.
Due to the indefinite strike and blockade by the students, the authorities of Assam University suspended all the classes till Saturday. The strike started last Monday. The students are on a hunger strike from Wednesday.
Das, a research scholar of the department of ecology and environment sciences, was rusticated from the university on February 8 for two years for his alleged unlawful activities and his entry in the university was also banned and an FIR was also submitted in Silchar against him by the university. Das is also president of AU Research Scholars’ Forum and former president of AUSU.
Dhar demanded resignation of vice-chancellor Dilip Kumar Nath on ground on inefficiency. Nath was not available for comment. He could not attend office due to the strike.
An official of the university hinted that disciplinary action might be initiated against the striking students.
