Kashmiri, Assamese students in a bind as CUTN closes for winter break early to curb CAA protests

Assamese and Kashmiri students in Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN) are in a fix as their varsity has closed the campus down early owing to protests against CAA. Protests in solidarity with the students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University have become commonplace in universities across the country over the past couple of days. The Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN) was no different. But what was different was the way the university's administration reacted. As soon as the protest began on Monday, the students were issued a circular asking them to vacate the hostels in 24 hours.

The university also declared an early winter vacation for the students from Tuesday. Originally, it was supposed to begin on Friday.
"The circular was out at 7 at night. Now, there are a lot of students from places like Assam and Kashmir. They can't go home in a jiffy," says Mohammed Rafeeq, a student of CUTN. "Our demand is simple. They must extend the hostel and mess facilities until winter. No one from the administration is ready to meet us," he says,

"We conducted a peaceful march in the university premises and burned effigies of Amit Shah and Modi in protest on Monday. Even though there was no violence, the registrar was quick to issue a circular asking us to vacate the hostels," says Ananthakrishnan, another student. He tells us that there was no interference from the police, apart from a few officers trying to pour water on the effigies. "The students were quick to stop them," he says.