Expelled Visva Bharati students mail university seeking to attend classes

KOLKATA: All the three expelled post graduate students of Visva-Bharti on Thursday mailed to the central university authorities to allow them to attend classes at the earliest as directed by Calcutta High Court in an interim order. The two - Somnath Sow, Falguni Pan and Rupa Chakraborty separately mailed to the proctor urging him to pave the way for facilitating them to attend class immediately as directed by the HC on Wednesday.

Sow told reporters "We are yet to get any notification from the university authorities enabling us to join classes." The authorities of the central university were not available for comments. The three students - two from economics department and the third from the music department were expelled on August 23 for alleged disorderly conduct during a protest meeting inside the campus on January 9.

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The varsity has been witnessing demonstrations by the students against the expulsion since August 27. The agitating students, who had shifted their demonstration venue over 60 metres away from the main gate of Vice-chancellor's official residence since September 3, started dismantling the stage erected for the protestors on Thursday.

Visva Bharati students' protest

"Our non-violent peaceful agitation against the manner of functioning of VC Bidyut Kumar Chakraborty will not stop. But we will not continue the satyagraha for the time being as directed by the high court," Sow, an SFI member, said. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha passing an interim order on Wednesday observed that the rustication of the students for three years was harsh and excessive.

The court directed that the expulsion order by the varsity be kept in abeyance and allowed the students to rejoin classes. The agitating students had withdrawn their relay fast following the High Court order on Wednesday itself and celebrated with smearing gulal on each other.

However, when they approached the residence of VC to offer him gulal and flowers they were told Chakraborty didn't want to meet them, they students said. In another interim order on September 3, the high court had said no demonstration will be conducted within 50 metres of any portion or part of the institution. It had directed the police to forthwith remove all demonstrations, banners, barricades and obstruction outside the official residence of the VC.

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The court had also ordered immediate restoration of normal functioning of the central varsity. Sow said the students will abide by the court order with regard to the agitation.

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