A protest at Panjab University (PU) turned volatile on Monday afternoon when a scuffle broke out between students and the police amid growing anger over the controversial affidavit policy imposed by the university. The situation escalated after students, demanding withdrawal of the rule, blocked Gate No. 2 and raised slogans against the university administration.
The protest, which has been brewing for weeks, intensified as police tried to remove student leader Abhishek Dagar, who has been on a fast unto death for the past four days, from the protest site. Dagar, the General Secretary of the Panjab University Students’ Council and a key member of the Student Organization of Punjab University (SOPU), has been leading the agitation under the slogans “Students Save Senate” and “Save PU.”
As police attempted to take Dagar to the hospital, students alleged that officers used mild force and even behaved inappropriately. Some protesters further alleged that the police had also mishandled several students. The tense scene led to a complete closure of one of the university gates and the deployment of additional police personnel to control the crowd.
Chanting “Chandigarh Police Go Back,” hundreds of students gathered in front of the Vice Chancellor’s office, vowing to continue their protest until the affidavit policy is revoked. Faridkot MP Sarabjit Singh Khalsa also reached the campus to support the students, expressing solidarity with their cause. “The government must take this issue seriously. Students are fighting for their democratic rights,” he said.
The controversy stems from the June 2025 directive that made it mandatory for all PU students to sign an 11-point affidavit before admission. The document bars students from participating in campus protests, restricts sloganeering, bans posters and stickers on university walls, and warns of strict action — including expulsion and exam disqualification — for violations. Students must also pledge not to have any criminal cases against them.
Student organizations argue that the affidavit amounts to an assault on their constitutional right to protest and is designed to silence dissent. “This is an attempt to suppress the voice of the student community. We will not bow down,” said one protesting student. A petition challenging the affidavit is currently pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but the administration has so far refused to withdraw the conditions or engage in meaningful dialogue.
Tensions have further deepened following the dissolution of PU’s Senate and Syndicate, which many believe is part of a larger move to curb democratic representation within the university. The development has drawn sharp criticism from former student leaders and political figures. Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari and Fatehgarh Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang are among those who have visited the protest site, urging the university to reopen talks with student representatives.
Amid the tense situation, large police force have been deployed at the university and police officials and university authorities are trying to pacify the situation, holding multiple rounds of discussions with protesting leaders. However, students stand firm, saying they will continue their agitation until university administration rolls back its affidavit policy.
