LPU unrest politically motivated, says Charanjit Singh Channi
What's the story
Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has alleged that the recent unrest at Lovely Professional University (LPU) was politically motivated. He claimed the university was targeted after its founder Ashok Mittal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "LPU Founder Ashok Mittal has joined the BJP, and after that, the Aam Aadmi Party government has tried to destroy this University," he said, according to The Times of India.
Police scrutiny
'Outsiders involved in violence on campus'
Channi also expressed doubts over reports of financial losses to the tune of ₹100 crore to the university during the unrest.
He questioned why no action was taken against police personnel who allegedly assaulted students.
"After that, what happened, people from outside came and engaged in hooliganism there," he was quoted as saying.
The former CM alleged that outsiders were involved in the violence on campus and accused the police itself of sponsoring this "hooliganism."
Government criticism
Former Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa slams government
Congress MP and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also slammed the government's handling of the situation.
He said authorities should have acted quickly after students started protesting.
"What happened in LPU, the govt has acted very late...they should have acted swiftly," Randhawa reportedly said.
He also rejected allegations by former Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu that student protests were aimed at disrupting an AAP event.
"Students should not be demeaned," he said.
Police statement
Police relied on dialogue to control situation
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said police exercised restraint and relied on dialogue to control the situation.
He said senior police officers reached the university to discuss grievances with students.
The unrest started late at night on September 26-27, he added.
Students gathered at LPU campus, leading to vandalism and part of a gate being set on fire.
Protest impact
Unrest at LPU leads to highway blockade, damage to property
The unrest at LPU led to a blockade of the Jalandhar-Phagwara National Highway and damage to property on campus. Police resorted to a lathi-charge after the blockade continued.
The protest was sparked by unverified social media claims of sexual assault on campus, which police initially said they had no confirmed information about.
Ongoing investigation
FIR registered in the case
An FIR has been registered based on a student's statement, and a Special Investigation Team was formed to probe the allegations.
The LPU administration has urged against spreading unverified information, calling online allegations false.
Truck drivers caught in the violence had to abandon their vehicles as protests continued for hours.
Visuals showed large groups of students and police personnel gathered outside LPU amid clashes.