The Students’ Federation of India and representatives from various political parties, on December 27, held a demonstration in front of the Pondicherry University campus to register their opposition against the administration’s order debarring 11 students, who participated in a protest against fee hike last year.

The university, in an order issued on December 17, prohibited 11 students, including the Students’ Council President Parichay Yadav, from taking admission in any course offered by the varsity for the next five years. They also debarred the same lot of students from entering the campus during the five-year period, and a fine of Rs 10,000 was imposed on each of them, which they must pay to receive their degree certificates.

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Leading the demonstration, S Jayaprakash, President of the SFI, told The Hindu that administration’s order was issued just before the reopening of the campus, nearly two years after the incident. “This is a clear attempt to threaten the students from involving themselves in any democratic protests. A show-cause notice was issued to the students in August, 19 months after the incident,” Jayaprakash said.

“Though the students had replied to the notice, there was no response from the university whatsoever. Now, the administration has suddenly initiated disciplinary action and debarred them. The university must immediately revoke the order,” he said. Members from the DMK, Communist Party of India (M), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and Dravidar Kazhagam participated in the protest.