Presidency University Students Start Sit-in Demonstration

Kolkata, Nov 15 (PTI) Students of the Presidency University Thursday started a sit-in demonstration in the main building of the varsity demanding immediate accommodation in the Hindu hostel.

The sit-in began before the room of the Dean of Students this evening as the November 15 deadline given by the university authorities for completing renovation of the two wards of the hostel and throwing open the hostel for students expired without the work being over, Sayan Chakraborty, a spokesman of the agitators, said.

University Vice-Chancellor Anuradha Lohia told reporters while the government had wanted to complete the work of the two wards of hostel by November 15, but the PWD gave report that some work related to safety and security issues still remains to be completed.

To a question if the hostel can be thrown open for boarders on November 30, Lohia "If the facilities (in two wards) are ready for minimum habitation by November 30 we will throw it open for boarders."

On October 12 students had called off their 10-day-long hunger strike after authorities gave them a written assurance that they would be provided accommodation at the Hindu hostel, adjacent to the institute's campus, by the middle of November if PWD gave the clearance.

The students have been demonstrating on the institute campus since August, seeking room allotments at two wards of Eden Hindu Hostel.

One of the agitating students, Subho Biswas, said "The university authorities had failed to meet the deadline to complete Hindu Hostel renovation work several times in past. We will now continue to sit-in if the hostel is not thrown open to us on an urgent basis."

The Hindu Hostel was shut down for repairs in July, 2015 and 150 boarders were shifted to a rented accommodation at New Town.

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