The members of Students’ Council, Pondicherry Central University, on Monday distributed Widerstand , the annual magazine, among students after the administration returned the keys of their office.
The members distributed copies to students gathered in small groups inside the campus nearly after a week-long freeze by the administration on the circulation of the magazine.
G. Anjali, Students’ Editor, said: “The Registrar handed over the key of our office to us and the administration itself gave a green signal for distribution of magazines among the students.”
The Students’ Council 2015-16, which released the magazine, comprises a president, a general secretary, two-vice presidents, a joint secretary, and six executive members.
Released in conference
The magazine was released in a conference which was presided over by Vice-Chancellor-in charge Anisha Basheer Khan and P. Moorthy, Dean, Students’ Welfare.
However, the release of Widerstand , triggered a controversy among the students inside the campus and social media networks after the university stopped its circulation as its contents were deemed to be sharply critical of the Union Government’s position on recent controversial issues at the Hyderabad Central University and the JNU.
Resistance movements
The magazine hails resistance movements across central universities.
“A year has passed by where the democratic nation turned into a fascist one where the Dalits are burned alive and the educational institutions were saffronised…The central universities were traumatised and students were thrown out to the streets.
The story hasn’t ended there. It turned out to be the largest critical uprising against the regime.
In such a situation, our voices are to be heard and our thoughts are to be shared,” said the editorial of magazine.
Even as the university administration distanced itself from the publication of magazine, the BJP and students affiliated to Akil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad protested the contents of the magazine while Students’ Council members and other students supported by Students Federation of India took out a rally demanding that freedom of expression be protected.
Office locked
The administration locked the office of Students’ Council and removed Mr. Moorthy from the position of Dean, Students’ Welfare.
A section of students have demanded the reinstatement of Mr. Moorthy to the same post.
