Protests marred the inauguration of a renovated indoor stadium on the Calicut University campus on Saturday even as the Vice Chancellor and Pro Vice Chancellor stayed away from their offices.
The police stopped the Students Federation of India (SFI) activists who marched to the function in which Minister for Education P.K. Abdu Rabb inaugurated the stadium. Youth Congress (YC) activists under the leadership of parliamentary committee president Riyas Mukkoli marched to the campus and blockaded the administrative wing. Dozens of employees caught inside the administrative building had to go without lunch as the siege continued until 3.30 p.m.
The Youth Congress activists expressed solidarity with the Kerala Students Union (KSU) members who were on a hunger strike seeking restoration of academic and administrative normalcy on the campus. The Congress men and KSU members withdrew their agitation following a written assurance by Vice Chancellor M. Abdul Salam that the problems on the campus would be resolved by Wednesday and academic normalcy would be restored by Monday.
The employees who were caught inside the administrative building too raised a banner of protest against the university administration.
Held, released on bailSFI activists who barged into Dr. Salam’s residence were removed by the police. Sixteen students were arrested and later released on bail.
Meanwhile, discussions between a six-member Syndicate subcommittee and the striking students over giving hostel admission to self-financing students of Physical Education programmes continued late into the evening.
When the SFI insisted that alternative accommodation be provided to the self-financing students, the KSU and MSF were for admitting them to the hostels meant for regular students.
