Punjabi varsity grant cut: Protesters march towards health minister’s residence
The protest against cut in annual grant for Punjabi University, Patiala, entered the 11th day on Thursday with agitators marching towards the residence of Punjab health minister Balbir Singh.
Patiala
The protest against cut in annual grant for Punjabi University, Patiala, entered the 11th day on Thursday with agitators marching towards the residence of Punjab health minister Balbir Singh.
The protesters, under the banner of Punjabi University Bachao Morcha consist of student unions, teaching and non-teaching staff and pensioners, are demanding to increase the university’s annual grant from ₹164 crore to ₹360 crore.
In a release, the morcha said no representative of the Punjab government was willing to talk to them. Varinder Khurana of the All India Students’ Federation alleged that the government has created a false pretence to follow the path shown by Bhagat Singh.
Balwinder Singh Tiwana, representative of the pensioners’ union, expressed concern over the deficit budget of the university and condemned the cut in annual grant.
When the protesters were informed that the minister was not home, they blocked the road and staged a dharna. They later submitted a memorandum to increase the annual grant of the university to ₹360 crore and waiver of its debt.
