Student leaders brace up for elections, resort to violence

KANPUR: With student union elections round the corner, there has been spurt in the number of violent incident on the campuses of degree colleges, as protests and ransacking of college property rocked the Halim Muslim College and DAV PG College on Tuesday.
The girl students were also taken into confidence by the student leaders in order to win over their support.
The admission process at Halim College got hampered when the student leaders and their supporters barged into the campus and closed down the office of the principal, demanding `fairness' in the admission process. Annoyed over denial of admission to a few girls, the student leaders raised slogans and ransacked the furniture of the college.
The student leaders of Halim Muslim College opposed the merit list. According to them, the college authorities resorted to favouritism in the admission process. "We want that the admissions should be done in the presence of principal of the college. He has been out of station and so the students have been suffering," ex-student leader Taqi Hasan said.
Meanwhile, the student leaders in DAV College created ruckus and protested outside the college, damaging a few vehicles parked there.
The student leaders were demanding to increase the seats in the college. "The college authorities have been deceiving the students by not giving them admissions. If there were no seats, they why did they distribute admission forms," pointed Amit Dixit, president of DAV College, students union.
Principal Rekha Sharma claimed it to be a publicity stunt in wake of forthcoming elections. "With student union polls a week away, such activities can be expected from the student leaders. They were forcibly trying to enter the campus. When they were not allowed, they started the protest," she said. These student leaders were carrying admission forms of girls, pretending to help them in lieu support in the elections, she added.