Pondicherry Central University administration has officially banned the Students’ Council magazine ‘Widerstand’ from distribution on Monday. It also sealed the Students’ Council room where 4,000 copies were stored.
The Assistant Registrar (Public Relations) said that the action was taken following reports that the magazine had articles critical of the Central government. “A preliminary enquiry has been initiated,” he said.
A research scholar at the Pondicherry Central University said that ABVP had pasted posters naming the Students’ Magazine Committee as anti-nationals across the university campus.
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Though the university administration has promised no action against the students, there are also rumours that the MHRD has issued notice to the Pondicherry Central University asking for an explanation.
The Pondicherry University Students’ Council brought out its annual magazine under the name ‘Widerstand’, German for resistance. The students had said that the magazine stood in solidarity with the students’ movements in campuses and movements against draconian measures, including ‘saffronisation’ of education.
The Dean of Students’ Welfare Prakash Babu, Hyderabad Central University, released the magazine in the presence of Pondicherry University Vice-Chancellor (in-charge) Anisa Basheer Khan, Dean of Students’ Welfare P. Moorthy and students’ council members on Thursday.
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The student editor of the magazine had said that the magazine aimed to uphold the freedom of speech in particular. The content of the magazine evaluates how the current governmental regime affects the educational system of our nation.