This story is from February 22, 2020

Pondicherry University to hold counselling sessions for protesters

The students' council came down heavily on the attempts of the university to curtail the freedom of expression of the students.
Pondicherry University to hold counselling sessions for protesters
Representative image
PUDUCHERRY: Pondicherry University (PU) has ordered all deans and heads of the departments to hold counselling sessions for the students, who participated in 'unauthorized rallies' within the campus against the Citizenship amendment act (CAA) irking the student community.
Dean (students' welfare) A Shahin Sultana passed a circular in this regard directing the dean and heads of the departments to hold the counselling sessions at their convenience for the students and file a detailed compliance report to the coordinator (academics) before February 21.

The students' council came down heavily on the attempts of the university to curtail the freedom of expression of the students.
The members of the council, who have been on indefinite strike against hike in fees for all courses since February 6 burnt the copies of the circular to register their strong protest on the university's move.
"In an attempt to curtail the freedom of expression of the students, PU administration instigates threats and counselling sessions for students.
An official letter has been sent by the dean of students' welfare to all the deans and heads of departments, which instructs them to conduct a counselling session for students who participated in unauthorized rallies against CAA. The students' council condemns such attempts from the administration to suppress the dissenting voices of the students," said council president Parichay Yadav.

Yadav said the council was not surprised by the university's move and revealed that the administration has been threatening the students, who are in the forefront of the ongoing struggle against fees' hike, through their respective department heads.
"The administration reached out to the PhD scholars, who extend their solidarity to the protest, through their research supervisors to discourage them.
"The administration thus stoops to the level of using academic threats against protesting students.
"Any of such action from the administration is unacceptable since we live in a democratic society where freedom of expression and dissent are considered fundamental," Yadav said.
The council vowed to oppose any attempt to 'dismantle democratic atmosphere in the campus' and expressed its solidarity with every student, who is targetted for exercising their right to dissent.
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