A group of students from Presidency University has initiated a prolonged gherao, extending over 24 hours, during which they have confined the dean of students, Arun Kumar Maity. Their primary demands include the immediate reopening of the mess facilities at Eden Hindu Hostel and a revision of the hostel fees. The agitation, which commenced at 5 pm on Monday, underscores the students’ determination to address these pressing issues.
The focal point of their protest is the demand for the reopening of the mess at Eden Hindu Hostel, which has remained closed since the hostel’s reopening in March. Despite several appeals submitted to the authorities, the students assert that no concrete steps have been taken. There are apprehensions among the students that the authorities are contemplating the introduction of a canteen system in the hostel, a change that is anticipated to result in elevated food costs. The students are resolute in their demand for a return to the previous mess system to ensure affordability.
Furthermore, the students are dissatisfied with recent financial adjustments imposed by the university. They highlight the doubling of caution money for hostel admission, increasing from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. Additionally, the monthly rental fee has surged from Rs 90 to Rs 200. In response, the students are fervently advocating for a reduction in hostel fees to alleviate the financial burden on the residents. The gherao reflects the students’ collective effort to seek redressal of these grievances and garner attention to their concerns regarding the hostel facilities and associated costs.
