The All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students’ Association on Friday claimed that a section of “unscrupulous” students was trying to malign the image of Assam University and warned that it would not accept this under any circumstance.
A group of students are staging a protest, which became a hunger strike from Wednesday, following rustication of research scholar Milan Das on February 8 for two years for alleged unlawful activities. An FIR was also lodged by the university against Das. The protesting students have demanded the rustication order against Das be revoked, the FIR against him withdrawn and vice-chancellor Dilip Kumar Nath resign from his post.
Association adviser Rupam Nandi Purkayastha told reporters on Friday that the students were protesting for vested interests. “A majority of the students don’t support the protest. There are around 3,500 students in Assam University. Only around 60-70 students are protesting. This clearly reveals the picture,” he said.
He said the functioning of the university and the exams had been affected because of the protest and alleged it was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere. “The university is the result of the sacrifices of the people of Barak Valley. We are not going to tolerate anything against its interests,” he said.
Citing references of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jadavpur University, Purkayastha said these universities have witnessed several protests, but students there never locked the main gate and create disturbance during exams. “These students (of Assam University), through their ‘unjustified’ protests are trying to malign the university’s image,” he alleged.
Purkayastha reiterated the Assam University Research Scholars’ Forum was not legitimate according to the university’s guidelines. He threatened that they would seek legal steps if the university does not invalidate the forum within a week.
Purkayastha had last month questioned the legitimacy of the forum. Association members Nikita Banik, Sukumal Das, Samiran Choudhury and Rajib Paul were also present.
Das could not be reached for a comment as his phone was switched off.
