Chandigarh,4 May:On the 28th day of the chain fast on the campus for the central university status for Panjab University today four teachers and five research scholars sat on the fast. Prof. K.K. Bhasin, Dean, Faculty of science, Dr Mohanmeet Khosla, Chairperson, Deptt of Mass Communication, Dr Madhukar Arya, and Dr. Zarreen Fatima both from the department of Urdu-Persian were among the teachers who sat on the fast, braving the scorching heat. Five research scholars from the department of Urdu-Persian, namely, Behnaz Alipour, Manjit Singh, Ravinder Nath, Kamaljit Kaur, and Sarvjit Singh also sat on the fast today. Ms Behnaz Alipour is a research scholar from Iran who spent the day along with other fellow research scholars sitting on the fast. The DUI, the DSW, and many other senior syndics and senators visited the dharna site to give a moral boost to those sitting on the fast for the just demand, facing unkind weather.
When contacted Sh Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister of State for Finance to know the progress at the Centre, he said that he has already talked to Sardar Tarlochan Singh, Member Rajya Sabha, and former Chairman, Minority Commission to use his good offices to persuade the leaders from Punjab Government to give concurrence at the earliest. Similarly Sh Bansal has also called on Hon’ble Vice President of India, and the Chancellor of Panjab University and shared his anxiety to have a word with the Punjab Government so that no reaction is triggered from the state of Punjab in case the Prime Minister announces the central status for Panjab University.
In the meanwhile the teacher- Senators from the Campus has decided to sit on the chain fast tomorrow. It is worth noting that there are 16 Senators on the campus. Joint Action Committee has also given a call to the teachers, students and other employees to make a special visit, in addition to the regular ones, to the site of the dharna tomorrow for two hours between 11.00 AM to 1.00 PM, to express a token of solidarity with the fasting Senators.