Visva Bharati students demand reopening of hostels, get into scuffle with security staff

Visva Bharati students have been agitating for a week now, demanding the reopening of hostels but the Vice-Chancellor has been unresponsive, SFI leader Somnath Sow said.

Visva Bharati students demand reopening of hostels, get into scuffle with security staff

A group of students of Visva Bharati University who were demonstrating for the reopening of hostels, got into a scuffle with varsity's security staff when they tried to enter the central office scaling a boundary wall. Visva Bharati students have been agitating for a week now, demanding the reopening of hostels but the Vice-Chancellor has been unresponsive, SFI leader Somnath Sow said.

"We have been urging the vice-chancellor to talk to us but he is unresponsive. Many students who are not locals are finding it difficult to fund their lodging in hotels as offline classes have resumed," Sow said.

As the Visva Bharathi University's security staff did not allow the students to enter the central office, a section of protesting students tried to scale the boundary wall, he said. "Many of us were manhandled by the security staff, leading to a scuffle. We were heckled by security guards for raising a just demand," he added.

The students will continue to demonstrate till the varsity reopens the hostels, which are closed since the beginning of the pandemic, he said. The agitating students created trouble and went after the security staff who were doing their job as people in groups are not allowed to enter the central office, a spokesperson of the university said. No decision has been taken on the reopening of the hostels, he said.

Visva Bharati commenced the offline classes on February 3 in conformity with the decision of the West Bengal government. In a notice dated February 2, the central university said the decision was taken at a meeting attended 'Adhyakshas' of all 'Bhavanas' (principals of different departments) a day ago. Though the offline classes were resumed, the hostels were not reopened. 

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