Updated: 6.00 pm, 07/05/2018.

The third session of the students’ protests against fee hike reached no conclusion as the Vice Chancellor postponed further deliberations to Friday and walked out on the students assembled in the central auditorium. Quarrels soon broke out among the SU representatives heading the movement, further enraging the protestors. The situation was finally brought under control as students were told to demonstrate peacefully outside VFAST until the following morning. The students were instructed not to miss their ongoing comprehensive examinations because of these protests.

SU representatives had earlier announced that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shouvik Bhattacharya, was to address the gathering at 8.00 PM upon his arrival at Pilani. However, he was reluctant to speak to the crowd directly and instead chose to remain in VFAST where he consulted members of the BITS administration . He finally agreed to address the issue after all the students gathered at the auditorium marched to VFAST.

Initially students were asked to remain quiet and refrain from sloganeering as Prof. Bhattacharya was expected to address them directly outside VFAST. At around 09.50 PM, the students were asked to move back to the auditorium where the Vice-Chancellor would speak to the entire gathering. The President of the Students’ Union, Bharataratna Puli, asked everyone in the auditorium to maintain decorum and be disciplined. He added that one cannot let their emotions ruin the movement, which had been peaceful so far. At 10.25 PM, Prof. Shouvik Bhattacharya was warmly welcomed by a packed auditorium. After a brief discussion with members of the Administration, the Chief Warden, and the Director, Prof. Bhattacharya began by thanking the students for demanding his presence. He assured them that the issue would be carried forward to the concerned stakeholders and asked the students to concentrate on the on-going exams. He informed the gathering that he had spoken to SU representatives and that an immediate resolution had not been possible. He stated that further deliberations would take place on a later date, to which the audience responded with jeers. The Vice-Chancellor reiterated that he had agreed to come to speak to students only on the condition that they were disciplined and respectful. At this point, Bharatratna Puli, the President of the Student Union, pacified the audience and clarified that the core team had not reached any conclusion in there talks with the Vice-Chancellor.

The Vice-Chancellor then criticized the protests carried out earlier, expressing his displeasure at students making derogatory remarks against his colleagues. After a brief discussion with Puli and other representatives, he concluded by stating that, ‘You wanted me to come here. I came here and conveyed my conclusion. Thank you’ and walked out of the auditorium.

The sudden departure of the Vice Chancellor agitated the crowd and resulted in chaos around the podium. Namburi, a former presidential candidate, tried to calm the assembly by asking them to be patient, but  quarrels broke out among the students around him. Outside the auditorium, a group of students surrounded the Vice-Chancellor’s car, refusing to let him leave unless they “got answers”, deeming his response at be inadequate. Soon, guards were summoned as the Vice-Chancellor left his car and walked to VFAST, followed by the students who continued sloganeering around him. Once he reached his destination, guards prevented further entry by forming a human chain around the gate. Students continued to protest, and sat outside the gate.

Meanwhile, turmoil continued in the auditorium, as Satyansh Rai, the President-elect declared a Students’ Union holiday on the following day. However, the General Secretary of the Students’ Union, Shivam Jindal, soon clarified that the current post-holders would confirm the decision. At around 11.40 PM, Namburi addressed the gathering beginning by thanking all the students for showing tremendous support to the protest. He felt that the protest had already been a success, managing to gain nationwide attention and being peaceful throughout. He re-clarified that the following day would not be a holiday and requested students not to miss their comprehensive examinations. He concluded by declaring that the protest will continue outside VFAST and promised to work tirelessly to resolve this issue.

After the VC’s abrupt departure from the Audi and his refuge in VFAST, some students decided to camp outside VFAST all night. Around 110 students sat outside VFAST till early morning, demanding that the VC answer their questions. However, owing to comprehensive exams from 8 am to 11 am, most of the gathered crowd left around 5 am, leaving an odd 10 people outside VFAST. According to Satyansh Rai, spirits fell as the crowd diminished. In a brief interview with the EPC, he explained how they were uncertain about continuing with the protest after this.

He claimed that the real motivation for the crowd was a fifth year student called Suryansh Tiwari, who declared that he was going on a hunger strike. As this news spread, more people joined the crowd. Suryansh is reportedly still on a hunger strike outside VFAST.

Soon, mattresses and carpets were arranged for the protesters. The road outside VFAST has now been blocked completely. Satyansh, Namboori and a few other student representatives have launched a press release to the media, explaining their future course of action. Meanwhile, Jai Aggarwal and Puli have met with the Chief Warden to ask them about their response – the officials are still unsure. Puli has suggested that the best response in this situation would be to keep the fee constant (effectively, the same as that of last year).

In the afternoon, some professors came to the students in front of VFAST, and tried to understand the situation. The official response from the authorities is still awaited.

At around 4 pm, the Police made an appearance, and noted that the protest was peaceful. The policemen urged the students to make way for the localites, who were finding it hard to visit places like Akshay and the C’not market. The students duly obliged to this request. Students have been allowed to peacefully sit and protest as long as passing vehicles are not disturbed.

Stay tuned to the blog for more updates.