Jammu: 17 Jan: National Secular Forum activists held a protest demonstration in front of Central Library and gheraoed the office of Incharge Librarian Central Library for not fulfill of their chart of demands. The protesting NSF activists in a large number led by Vikas Sharma, NSF president were shouting slogans against the University authorities and Incharge Librarian Central Library for not taking note of their demands and maintaining stoic silence over the entire matter.
The demonstration continued for two hours and the activists turned violent when the Incharge Librarian was not available in his chamber. They condemned the Incharge Librarian for prompting students to adopt the agitation path instead of redressing their grievances.
The agitating students locked the main door and surrounded office of Incharge librarian Mohammed Shoaib in Central Library for the non availability of facilities for about one hour.
The protest lasted for over two hour during which, NSF President Vikas Sharma has taken a strong note of the non availability of facilities being provided by the Jammu University in the Library where hundreds of students are spending their time as exams are going on and also the students are preparing for various competitive exams. He said that where heat pillars which are provided inside the Central Library are non functional and very less in number.
He said that where temperature is very cold these days it the duty of university to provide heating system for the students who are preparing for ongoing exams and various competitive exams. He said that lots of funds are provided for the development works but no such development is seen on grounds. He said that officials of the university are enjoying every facility and students are deprived of it.
He also said that students studying in distant education mode are deprived of the facilities of the central library. He said that the university is itself creating differences between regular and distant mode students. He said that this will not be tolerated as the students in distant mode have to prove their worth; they too have to prepare for exams and other competitive exams.
He Further said that where university talks of go hi tech by using Smart Card technology in the central university but no such thing has been introduced so far. He said that money has been collected admission time by the students for the issues of Smart Card but no such facility is being provided to the students.
Addressing the gathering District Chairman Surjit Choudhary demanded immediate availability of heat pillars in reading rooms. The scholars and Students also objected to the behavior of the in charge librarian Mohammed Shoaib, which according to them was not cordial with the students and scholars, Surjit claimed.
Ravi Choudhary Chairman University Unit NSF also addressing the gathering said students and scholars have highlighted their problems before the authorities several times but most of their issues remained unaddressed. “We had made for the installation of heat pillars in central library for the benefit of students; much in advance to onset of winter but still the position is same. On the other hand, each and every official is having couple of heat pillars in their offices”, Ravi added.
Addressing on this occasion University Unit President Rohit Sharma also demanded to provide new edition books to the scholars so that they are facilitated in their research related works. He further demanded to connect departmental libraries with central Library through internet so as to provide better facilities to the students.
He said that it is the duty of the University to provide facilities to the students whether they are regular or distant mode students.
Among those who were present in the protest included, Sukdev Singh, Balveer, Ashwani, Rohit, Ravi Choudhary, Sunny Babber, Ajaz, Surjit Choudhary, Sunil Kumar, Ajaz, Singh, Manu Sharma, Ankit Raina, Vijay, Manjit, and others.