The ongoing turmoil at Panjab University (PU) has taken an inter-state turn, with Haryana-based student groups and political outfits asserting their claim over the university’s affiliation and representation, triggering sharp reactions from Punjab students who insist the institution has always been an integral part of their state.
The protest, which began with demands for the early conduct of the long-pending Senate elections, has now evolved into a larger political issue involving the historical dispute over the university’s jurisdiction. Haryana students argue that since several colleges from their state were once affiliated with PU and a share of its funding used to come from the Haryana government, their exclusion from present-day administrative and academic affairs is unjust.
Punjab-based student unions, however, maintain that the affiliation ended decades ago and that Panjab University is constitutionally and geographically linked to Punjab. They accuse Haryana groups of attempting to politicise the matter under the guise of representation.
The two sides exchanged heated words on the campus, though police managed to prevent any physical confrontation. Chandigarh Police, which has maintained tight security at the Sector 14 campus for over a week, has restricted entry at key gates and deployed additional personnel to prevent escalation.
University authorities reiterated that the matter of Senate elections, which triggered the unrest, has already been taken up with the Chancellor’s office and that a decision is awaited. They have appealed for calm, urging students not to let the university’s democratic process be overshadowed by regional rivalries.
Meanwhile, political leaders from both states have weighed in. Several Punjab-based organisations have condemned what they call “interference from outside elements,” while leaders from Haryana have demanded equitable treatment for their students. The issue has revived memories of the long-standing Punjab-Haryana dispute over Chandigarh’s status, giving the campus protest a distinctly political edge.
With students refusing to call off the sit-in until the election schedule is announced, academic activity on campus remains paralysed.