Patiala varsity stir ends after assurance of thorough probe

Patiala: Students at Punjabi University here ended their protest on Monday after officials assured them of a thorough probe into allegations of mental harassment by a professor, who is being held responsible by the former for the death of a student. The district administration also promised to help the brother of the deceased girl pursue BA on compassionate grounds.

The development came on a day retired sessions judge Jaswinder Singh started his government-ordered inquiry into complaints levelled by 20 students against Prof Surjit Singh. University vice-chancellor Prof Arvind, deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney and SSP Varun Sharma held a meeting with the parents of the deceased girl and the protesters, including Lakha Sidhana, following which the stir was called off.
Sidhana, a gangster-turned-social activist, joined the protest earlier in the day. Retired judge Jaswinder Singh will head the probe panel, while women’s rights activist Harshinder Kaur has been included as a member because the controversy relates to a woman student. The inquiry is expected to be completed in 21 days.

“In case any other woman also feels aggrieved, she may contact this probe team. The inquiry report has to be submitted in 21 days, while the police inquiry report will also be submitted in 21 days for cancellation of the FIR against the students. The controversial professor’s classes have also been given to another professor pending the inquiry,” said DC Sawhney.

Prof Arvind said they had provided a room to the retired sessions judge in the university. “Any student may come forward to lodge a complaint. Action will be taken if the allegations are found valid,” he said.

Meanwhile, the university also replaced Prof Surjit as the coordinator of its five-year integrated programme (FYIP) with Prof Ravinderpal Singh Brar. However, even the replacement led to a controversy as Prof Brar is said to be close to Prof Surjit. “I wanted someone who knows all the heads. Under FYIP, the heads deal with languages. Prof Surjit has not been suspended, as he has gone on medical leave. He is in ICU and cannot interfere in the inquiry. The suspension is not a punishment, but only to keep a person away from interfering in the inquiry process. If students will face any problem in dealing with the current coordinator, we will change him,” Prof Arvind said.

However, students’ bodies and faculty members said the new coordinator could snub students who had gone against his predecessor. “The new coordinator has made efforts to garner support from faculty and students for his predecessor. He can also influence students also. He has published an article in a magazine in which he had praised the erring professor,” said a faculty member, who did not wish to be named as he feared a backlash from colleagues.

When contacted, Prof Brar said the piece had been written six months ago, but was published recently. “I am just a colleague and there is no closeness. It was a literary piece. I have written similar pieces on others too,” said Prof Brar.

from Times Of India (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)