HimVani
Camouflaged by tall cedar trees, the boys hostels of Himachal Pradesh University have for long remained hidden from public eye, and, therefore, have also acted as a good hideout for carrying out activities other than studies. Surrounded by thick forests, the hostels actually have been good training grounds for guerilla warfare in politics, which most often also turns bloody, just as the latest incident whereby at least eight students were injured after two ‘political’ outfits – ABVP and SFI – clashed.
The fallout of the violence has been disastrous as can be expected from such incidents with rival groups virtually laying seize over the campus, not allowing the classes to run. But, more than that, this time the university may further slide down into isolation in the academic world if the post-violence events are any indication.
As the entire incident seemed getting out of control, Station House Officer of Boileuganj Police Station Amar Singh, who was at the fore of action against students, was placed under suspension by the police department. Now, this appears very rare or even unheard of as clashes between students generally lead to rounding up or arrest of students and not action against members of the law enforcing agency trying to bring the situation under control. Agree that there may be some basis behind the action as ABVP activists had demanded suspension of the said officer for his alleged role in beating up students. But the promptness with which action was taken against the SHO raises doubts about the way the situation was handled by the authorities.
The injured students, majority reportedly affiliated to ABVP, were later admitted to IGMC Hospital, where Health Minister Rajeev Bindal, Forest Minister J.P. Nadda, State BJP President Jai Ram Thakur, Vice-chancellor Professor Sunil Gupta and other senior leaders of BJP reached to meet them. Now where does such a thing happen in the country that students, allegedly involved in violence or maybe not but certainly not victims of some kind of brutality or misfortune, are visited by the top brass of a government and the university?
There certainly is something more to it than what meets the eye. Or, it was almost too visible as the ministers’ visit to the hospital said it loud and clear that the state government has a firm hand behind ABVP activists. And it is not something new the resent government is to be blamed for. Undoubtedly, Himachal Pradesh University is perhaps among the very few universities in the country where mainstream political parties and the party in power in particular show direct involvement in student politics.
It has not done any good to the university, and will certainly not help it in the future either. With the state government already having decided to allow certain private universities in the state, it’s an open guess that hardly any serious student would turn towards HPU if the university authorities fail to give them a good academic environment.
The list of neta log visiting the students at the hospital is imperessive! The govt. must seriously look into compensating these students for indulging in voilence. 10 grands for each student should be a reasonable amount. As far the police officer is concerned who tried to uphold the rule of law, he should be given an exemplary punishment and an example should be set for future so that no upright police officer dares to stop the mayhem.
yup right nityin! i wonder why honorble cm sahab didn't visit them.
Can someone tell me what good these so called student organizations has done for students?
i did my engineering from hamirpur there no such bodies exist. and it functions great!!
If our institute works great without such politicized so called student council why other university, colleges necessarily need them???
though nitin is ironically right..but i dont agree with u my friend..it is not the politics that is lowering the standards but it is these neta log who are behind the scene..Also police officials trying to uphold the rule of law will be suspended by these neta log..
Politics is not that bad for any institution taking into consideration the name and fame of JNU
the politics going on the campus is doing no good to either the image of HPU or the education bng imparted….
breeding ground of violence-thats what HPU has been reduced to…
The latest clash between ABVP and SFI clearly indicates that these organizations are being backed their respective parent political parties. It has become a serial practice during election time but neither univ administration nor the govt seems to take any serious step. This is happening when the police station is barely 60 meter away from the hostels.
student politic is an integral part now but it is deviating from its sole purpose and it is unacceptable.
Whatever be the reasons or whoever it be, the fact remains that HPU is not a breeding ground for excellence.
At best mediocrity prevails and it is certainly one of the most politicized campus that one hears about.
Even the Shimla medical college that was notorious for students violence has improved but the university which should have been in the forefront of academic excellence in North India remains plagued by ugly violence, with one ideology trying to prevail upon the other.
i totally and vehemently disagree with u my friend…HPU has produced some of the very bright citizens of this country..Even today the product of HPU are placed in the best of the corporations/MNCs in the country at very good and senior positions..Therefore please think before denigrating a whole university because os some clash.. blame is also to be laid on the newspapers who make a hill out of a mole..even if nobody is injured it is shown in the papers that somebody has been almost murdered..
I think cM sahab heard what Raj said.. he too went to the hospital to meet the injured students. It is interesting to note that all students admitted are affiliated to the ABVP. And today itself the police initiated arrest of SFI activits, four were arrested today.
hasn't it always been like this? i remember growing up, hearing people talk about violence in HPU on a regular basis. people in the western world woudnt even be able to comprehend this madness!!! student fighting over politics?? what sense does that make?? shouldnt they be studying whatever they're enrolled into? Politians in India are pathetic, everyone knows that. These students who're indulging in these activities, would better serve the community if they cleaned up that filthy summerhill area.
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