The Hindu : Front Page : Agitation against semester system turns violent

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 03, 2005

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Agitation against semester system turns violent

Special Correspondent

20 students hurt in lathicharge at Tirupati; vehicles damaged

TEMPERS RUN HIGH: Students protesting against the proposed introduction of reforms in higher education at SVU campus in Tirupati on Friday .

TIRUPATI: The Sri Venkateswara University campus here on Thursday witnessed pitched battle between the police and students as the `Chalo SVU' called by the SFI,AISF and the ABVP to register their protest against the Government move to implement the Honours and semester system at the degree level in the State took a violent turn.

The three unions gave a call to the students in Chittoor, Nellore and Cuddapah districts to converge on the campus as Vice-Chancellors of State universities, who met here, were to have the `final round' of discussion on the issue under the aegis of the AP State Council of Higher Education before giving their nod. At least the students thought so.

Even as the VCs and the Chairman and members of the SCHE were participating in a brainstorming session organised by the SVU as part of its 2-day national seminar on University-Industry-Community Interaction, irate students gathered before the Senate Hall, the venue, and made a vain bid twice to storm the premises which was, however, foiled with the police pushing them back. Though SCHEE Chairman and SVU's VC tried to send word to the agitators through the University's Rector and the Registrar that no final decision had been taken yet on the contentious issue, it was of no avail as they were in no mood to listen to any explanation. They questioned the very need to go in for the system without improving the infrastructure.

Students arrested

What reportedly provoked the lathicharge was the hurling of stones, sticks and chappals by the agitators at the police. This eventually saw the cops swooping down on the demonstrators and chasing them out of the campus injuring 20, two of them seriously, in the process.

The irate students while retreating were said to have smashed the windscreen of half a dozen cars parked outside the Administrative Building and 10 APSRTC buses on the Tirupati-Chittoor highway running opposite the campus.

The police took into custody some of the student leaders and carted them away in waiting jeeps.

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