Kasargod: In a swift move, Central University of Kerala (CUK) on Wednesday suspended classes on the campus indefinitely following the mass protest by students demanding adequate hostel facilities. In a press release issued on Wednesday evening, the university registrar said the smooth functioning of library and laboratory facilities of the varsity was affected by the students' protest and the university has decided to suspend classes indefinitely. It, however, asked the teaching and non-teaching staff to report at the respective departments.
The students started 'Student Refugee Movement' protest on Tuesday evening by staying back on the campuses and libraries after the classes in Periye, Padannakkad and Kasargod demanding adequate hostel facilities. Students from all campuses boycotted the classes and staged protest on the main campus at Periye. The protestors said boy students, who did not stay back on the campus on Tuesday, would join the girl students in their ‘student refugee movement’.
Students Welfare Dean Dr Amrit G. Kumar on Wednesday met the students and explained the steps the university was taking to address the issue but the students were not convinced saying the authorities proposed no solution to the issues they had raised.
Meanwhile vice-chancellor Dr G. Gopakumar did not turn up on the campus on Wednesday. It is learnt that he would leave to New Delhi to appraise the HRD department of the situation.
Students representative Visakh Viswambaran told DC that the students will attend classes as usual on Thursday. “We will ask the teachers to take classes as it is our right,” he said. “If the teachers are not willing, then we would ask the seniors including research scholars to take classes."
