Four Left Parties of Punjab – CPI, CPI(M), RMPI and CPI(ML) Liberation strongly condemned the brutal repression let loose on Panjab University students yesterday who were protesting in front of the Vice chancellor office against the steep fee hike by the University. This brutal lathi charge was totally uncalled for in which more than 60 boys and girls were injured and about a dozen had to be hospitalized.
Leaders of Four Left Parties have stated in a joint press statement that as per reports published in the press the police attacked the students again and again at various locations so much so that the students who had taken shelter in a religious place were also not spared. The police did not spare the press reporters and press photographers also. The police and University authorities went amock and declared this legitimate protest action against eleven times hike in fee as sedition.
All methods of repression like lathicharge, Water Cannons and Tear Gas Shells were used indiscriminately. More than 60 students were injured and many had to be hopitalised . The leaders of four Left Parties demanded that the steep hike in fee be withdrawn and the Central and State governments should bear the expenses of the university. The Left leaders rejected the principle of ‘users should pay ‘ and said that the government should increase expenditure on vital social sectors such as education and health.
They also strongly condemned the university authorities for their inept handling of the legitimate students’ agitation led by Joint Action Committee of 8 students organisations for roll back of steep fee hike.
The Left leaders further demanded ban on entry of police in educational institutions and high level judicial inquiry into the brutal repression on the P. U. students.