The violence in Phagwara’s Lovely Professional University following allegations of a woman student being raped on campus snowballed into a political slugfest on Monday, with opposition parties targeting Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over law and order and alleging police laxity.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday demanded an independent probe into the campus violence, saying there appeared to be a pattern in the unrest at the two universities—LPU and Chitkara.
“The government has been caught unawares once again as it remains clueless about the cause of the violence. “Only an impartial and independent probe can establish the truth. “Unprecedented scenes were witnessed at LPU in Phagwara last night. I strongly condemn what the police claim to be a ‘mild’ lathicharge! Shah is slated to address the rally to mark the culmination of the BJP’s ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’.
Because what can be clearly seen in these visuals are youth, especially girls, being brutally hit, dragged, abused, pushed on the ground by ‘Men In Khakhi’ who report directly to the home/chief minister,” she said in a post on X.
The spontaneous violence in two private university campuses in Punjab within a span of a few days was an ominous sign and was yet another example of the complete collapse of law and order in the state,” Warring said. It is important to address the concerns of the students about their safety, particularly that of the girl students,” Warring said. BJP leader and former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that the AAP was “rattled” by the support for the BJP’s anti-drug yatras and accused the Mann government of “allowing riots” in Jalandhar to disturb Union home minister Amit Shah’s scheduled rally on September 30. Addressing a press conference, AAP’s Punjab media in-charge Baltej Singh Pannu said the government’s priority was the safety of every student studying in Punjab and that the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the matter should be allowed to complete its investigation and establish the facts.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday alleged that the violence at LPU was orchestrated by the AAP to settle political scores. The AAP on Monday said the situation at LPU was handled by Punjab Police with restraint and professionalism.
He said the SIT was examining the allegations as well as the circumstances surrounding the unrest. He also criticised opposition leaders for “politicising” a sensitive matter involving students. He said while the government would ensure that students’ concerns were heard and the matter was investigated, those responsible for vandalism and damage to property would face action in accordance with the law.
