Panjab University Protests for Senate Elections Gain Momentum

Despite the Panjab University (PU) administration sending the Senate election schedule on 9 Nov to the Vice President (VP) of India Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan who also serves as the Chancellor of PU, he has still not approved it. The irony is the university rules do not call for the VP to approve the election schedule. It is a tradition the current administration wants to adhere to. The protesting students from Panjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and other states had warned that they will not allow PU  to conduct examinations between 18–20 Nov. On 15 Nov, PU  postponed the examinations. On the same day, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) observed that students should return to classes and trust that elections will be conducted. PHHC did not explain why Senate elections have not been held since January 2024 and why the students demanding democratic process is wrong. Various farmer unions, social organizations, Left organizations, and political parties are supporting the protest. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal came in support of students. He gave a call to all parties to come together to demand PU be handed over to Panjab. Though PU came to India after the Partition of 1947, after the trifurcation of Panjab in 1966, over time, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have ended their claim and stopped funding the university. He did not bring up the matter of Panjab's long standing claim on Chandigarh. However, the question remains: in their 24-year-long partnership with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), why did SAD not solve these and other matters? The Panjab University Bachao Morcha (save front) has given a call for a meeting with like-minded organizations on 20 Nov. On 17 Nov, at the 32^nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted Panjab's claim on Chandigarh and elections to PU senate, besides the matters of Bhakra Beas Management Board. He also raised the issue of maintaining the status quo of the 60:40 ratio in the intake of service personnel from Panjab and Haryana in the functioning of the Chandigarh Union Territory (earlier coverage).