UoP fights shy of acknowledging protestors

PUNE: The University of Pune (UoP) has avoided taking a firm stance over Tuesday's violent protest by the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) activists at the varsity's exam department.
So much so, in an ambiguous four-line statement released here on Wednesday, the UoP has preferred not to name any specific organisation behind the protest while `condemning', what it described as misbehaviour by ‘some anti-social elements'.This despite photographic evidence of the protest and the resultant agitated reaction by the varsity employees. "The incident is unfortunate and has caused indignation," the statement read.
Over 50 MNVS activists had forced their way into the office of UoP's controller of examinations (CoE) S M Ahire to protest the `inefficient' functioning of the exam department, which was leading to goof-ups in the conduct of exams.
The protestors allegedly beat up security guard Navnath Patole while barging into the exam department and staged a vociferous demonstration, throwing black ink at Ahire's chair, pasting posters denouncing the UoP inside the CoE's chamber and resorting to abusive language.
Later, agitated UoP employees chased the MNVS protestors and pelted stones at them. They also gathered in front of the Vice Chancellor's chamber in the main building to raise their concern.
Despite all this, the UoP registrar, M L Jadhav, who is the administrative head of the varsity, refused to take any stance over the matter and avoided offering a comment to the mediapersons. The UoP was unable to decide till Tuesday evening as to whether to lodge a police complaint.
Late Tuesday night, Ahire lodged a complaint in his personal capacity with the Chatushrungi police following which an offence of unlawful assembly, rioting, voluntarily causing hurt, assault on public servant and criminal intimidation was registered against Nilesh Maruti Pawar (25) and 50 to 60 others.
Nilesh, who was caught by the UoP employees in the melee caused by the MNVS protest, was handed over to the police soon after the incident. The police have since placed him under arrest.