7 June,Chandigarh:Young lawyers, recently passed out from Panjab University, decided to sit on the chain fast today and register their protest against the myopia of politicians who are unable to see the potential of Panjab University to serve Punjab and other neighbouring states. Panjab University, if granted central status, could act as a ‘light house’ for the entire galaxy of institutions planned for Chandigarh as a part of the ‘Future Knowledge Hub’.
Lawyers from the district court, Chandigarh who sat on the chain fast today were Paramjit Singh Rana, treasurer, District Bar Association (DBA), Harinder Thakur, executive member DBA, Maheshwar Singh Sidhu, Arun Dhiman, and Umesh Kumar Pandey, PU alumni.
When questioned by the media that what if governments at the Centre or state of Punjab do not budge, Paramjit Singh Rana, treasurer, DBA, responded by suggesting the intensification of the agitation, involving more and more people from the city of Chandigarh. In response to another question that what made the Chandigarh advocates to sit on the chain fast on the campus, Sh Maheshwar Sidhu said, that till yesterday we were students of this prestigious University and completed our education at a nominal cost. “Our brethren now in colleges cannot think of even entering the University as the cost of education has spiraled up recently beyond the means of their parents,” claimed Sh Sidhu. Showing the data of 31 per cent overall increase in the price of prospectus in 2008 compared to the last year, Harinder Thakur, Executive member DBA, suggested that the only alternative to check this trend is to make this historic university central and let be fully funded by the union government.
Prof. D.N. Jauhar, senior law professor from the department of Laws, while agreeing to what his former students projected to the media at dharna site, pointed out that at present PU is being run with Rs.47 crore deficit in the current budget towards which neither Punjab Government nor U.T. Chandigarh owe any responsibility. “Though all reasons suggest that PU should have been a central university much earlier but Punjab Government and Union Government are busy in out smarting each other politically instead of saving PU from the crisis”, stated Prof Jauhar.