By IANS
Bhopal : With less than 24 hours left for student union polls, fear has gripped Madhya Pradesh colleges with some of them refusing to conduct elections due to incidents of violence against teachers in many areas.
Though the state government has passed new guidelines to prevent violence during the elections on Aug 23 and 24, three colleges have already refused to conduct the polls fearing unrest.
In Tikamgarh, the Government PG College staff are refusing to conduct the elections after acting principal S.C. Chousaria and his three daughters were beaten up allegedly by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists earlier this month.
Two more incidents of assault on professors in Jabalpur and Dabra have been reported in the past two days.
Prof H.S. Sabharwal of Madhav College, Ujjain was beaten to death allegedly by ABVP men during student polls on Aug 26 last year. The college has already cancelled the polls this year.
The management of Jabalpur’s prestigious St. Aloysius College has also cancelled student union polls, where students assaulted an assistant professor Saturday.
In Bhopal, BHEL PG College principal Abha Gargav was allegedly threatened of violence during the polls by ABVP district vice-president Lakhan Mehra on Monday. ABVP is Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) students’ wing.
This time, the state administration has trying to implement the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations on reducing criminal activities and ensuring free and fair student elections.
Reacting to the decision of the colleges, ABVP general secretary Vishnudutt Sharma said a college council cannot refuse to conduct elections as, according to the Lyngdoh Committee, law and order during polls would be the responsibility of the local administration.
The Congress has, on the other hand, fears repetition of last year’s Sabharwal-like incidents. The party has formally requested the governor to ensure free and fair elections in the state.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Tukoji Rao Puar has appealed to the district administrations, principals, students and teachers to make the polls a success.