Kolkata: Presidency University students withdraw 96-hour sit-in
The Presidency University Students Council (PUSC) in Kolkata withdrew its 96-hour sit-in after the varsity authorities agreed to provide free COVID-19 vaccination to all students. PUSC office-bearer Adrija Adak told PTI on Saturday that the authorities issued a notice promising to start free vaccination at the earliest at the campus in collaboration with the West Bengal government.
Free vaccination was prerequisite to any on-campus activity: Adak
"Since free COVID-19 vaccination of every student was the prerequisite to begin any on-campus academic activity, this was the main demand of the agitating students," Adak said "The demand has been accepted by the administration of the state university, hence the sit-in at the portico was withdrawn after 96 hours on Friday evening," Adak added.
University asked students to help in collating information: Adak
The Dean in the notice attached a table which will have the list of the recipients of the first and second dose of vaccines and said, "The university will submit the details to the higher education department within the due date." "The university called upon the students union to help the authority in collating information, i.e. rigorous data collection," Adak said.
Demand for opening of libraries has been approved by authorities
"We will co-operate and help the authority in every step of this process," Adak said. Notably, the union has also been successful in getting its other demands met, like the opening of libraries and the authority has issued a notice mentioning the process through which the students can come to the university and get the required books issued on particular days of the week.
Union will continue its larger movement of reopening the campus
The union, however, asserted it will continue its larger movement of re-opening of the campus, which will be done after its preparatory phases like vaccination is completed. "The union will be active in getting updates from the authority and will keep coming to the campus to ensure that the authority is continuing all the promised activities required to meet our demands," Adak said.
We're happy that students have withdrawn the sit-in: Official
Notably, an official of the university said, "We're happy that students have withdrawn their sit-in which could have caused health risk in the pandemic situation. The university will bear the responsibility of giving free jab to each student and will decide on the modalities soon."
