PROTEST AGAINST FEE HIKE: LATHI-CHARGE AND POLITICS OF NEO-LIBERALISM

On 18th march, Chandigarh police lathi-charged protesting students to suppress their struggle against Fee hike. The Students were taken to PS sec. – 11 and were brutally tortured, for opposing the entry of police in University Campus. The police claiming to be responsible to maintain law and order, showed what ‘Law & order’ really means. Police while registering fake cases to suppress dissent, mocked the very constitution that claims the country to be the Worlds’ Largest Democracy.

The question is why university resorted to such measures instead of solving the issue? 

The whole matter was concerned with fee hike, against which SFS started a chain hunger strike since 24th February that was converted to indefinite hunger strike after no response from authorities. As the authorities tried to suppress the struggle, the struggle fueled by the students’ unity forced the authorities to bow.

The university authorities gave the argument that fee is hiked due to rising deficit. The central government will only give grant to university in case if they mobilize their resources themselves and hike at least 8-10% fees every year. Instead of opposing the government, university is increasing the load on the students by hiking their fees.Instead of making education a right, government is making it a commodity, and is running away from its responsibilities of ‘social welfare’.

To understand the whole issue let’s have a look at the education related policies:

The formal education system was introduced by Macaulay for creating a class of persons who are “Indian in blood and color, but English in taste, opinion, morals and in intellect…” to serve the interests of Britishers. Today also, our education system, in spite of liberating the masses from reactionary ideas and dominance, is continuing on the same lines. To understand the education policy in India “National Policy Of Education” (1986) is a turning point which supported the funding of the institutions by both public and private sector as well as ‘voluntary agencies’, thus paved the way for commercialization and privatization of education. It also proposed a ‘National Core Curriculum’ under which the rich diverse culture and languages of our people were sacrificed. NPE also purposed the banning of elections to further suppress the voice of dissent. Instead of universal education, the concept of ‘model’ schools was introduced which gave rise to the double standard education.

EDUCATION IS NOT FOR SALE ! OPPOSE FEE HIKE !!

Friends, we know that University authority has hiked the fee of various courses. The students of Panjab University now will have to pay 20 per cent more for regular courses and 10 per cent more for self-financed courses from the next academic session. The examination fee and Hostel charges have also been increased. SFS submitted a memorandum to VC to protest against the decision earlier and a chain hunger strike have been started on 24th Feb after the fee was increased.
Is the Hike justified? The authorities have been pushing through fee hike under the garb of rising deficit and many may find this argument justified. But we should understand this question in the socio-economic scenario of our society. The fees in various courses of PU are already much higher than many other universities in the region. In a country like ours, where majority of the population lives on bare subsistence wage and to expect them to afford such costly education is absurd. We often come across the argument that it is better education that can elevate a being from the evils of socio-economic backwardness, and most of us agree that it plays a good bit of role in it. PU is a government institution maintained for social welfare; and it is not a Corporation striving for profits. But now instead of pressing for more funds from the Govt., by increasing the fee, the authorities are defeating the very goal of university.
How it affects us? Some of us may be thinking that it doesn’t affect the current students. This statement is false in three senses:
1. Apart from course fee, examination fee and hostel charges have been increased that will affect all of us.
2. Most of us, who will join a new course in the next session, will find our fee increased, next year.
3. Last but most important is about, how much space the students have in the decision making of the university?
For long the decision of the university of have been arbitrary and anti-students, be it the hike in mess diet last year, fee hike in last session or playing partisan role in students’ election, using police force to curb democratic space etc.
Role of the students’ organizations: As we find that the situation is much worse than we generally think, we have seen little opposition of the hike from any student organization. Much worse is the fact that PUCSC, itself has agreed to the hike. (this is not the first time when the PUCSC has betrayed students as it has agreed to mess diet hike, rigging in Council Elections etc. in past). Apart from PUCSC, the Students’ Organizations’ have failed to protect the Students’ Rights in the Campus. The purpose of students’ politics is not only to stage helpdesk for the freshers and then organize trips but also to protect already ill-represented interests of students in the university administration.
But Friends, we have our rights and our duties, to fight for our own rights and for the students and society as well. Now, the time has come to step forward and protect our rights. So let us join hands in the ongoing struggle against the fee hike and reclaim what is ours…….. “THE EDUCATION”.

बेख़ौफ़ आज़ादी : BREAKING PATRIARCHAL CHAINS

THIS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY WE MARCH AGAINST GENDER DISCRIMINATION, FOR EQUALITY, FOR FREEDOM !

 The 8th march is celebrated as International Women’s Day (originally International Working Women’s Day) worldwide. Well, it has a long history of Women Struggle. On 8th March 1908 around 15000 women marched through the New York City (to commemorate the march and walkout struggle of 1857 of garment women workers)
demanding shorter working hours, voting rights, better pay and end to child labor.

In 1910, inspired by the women’s working class movement, Clara Zetkin, a German Socialist, proposed at the International Women’s Conference (at Socialist Second International) an international day to mark the strike of the garment workers.The decision was passed unanimously by over 100 women representatives of 17 countries with an idea to promote and struggle for equal rights including Suffrage. Now even in the present era, when on the one hand we are talking of democracy and equality for all, we immediately get stuck at the plight of women. We daily come across various forms of oppression where women are always on the receiving end. They are numerous be it the eveteasing, sexual harassment, domestic violence, foeticide/infanticide or even the most cruel forms such as ‘honour’-killings and rape. They are not allowed to make their independent decisions even regarding their studies or marriage or how they have to live their life. On the one hand there are reactionary and feudal institutions such as Khap panchayats and various outfits of saffron brigade that control and exploit women in the name of religion and culture. On the other hand the so called modernity of this new era very cunningly exploits them to make huge profits. Instead of involving women in the social production, they are kept in isolation from it and are limited to such jobs where they are presented as mere attractions to woo the customers. Be it any advertisement, TV commercials or music videos, they are depicted as some consumable objects. Prostitution, which is a violent form of gender
oppression, is being promoted as some ‘service’ industry, where rights of sex-workers are being advocated. Furthermore, in our education system courses such as home-science are
introduced which again push women back to domestic labor.

Scenario in the Campus:
Panjab University can’t be seen in isolation from our society. Although here we have got majority of girl students (around 70%) but still here also we see the Patriarchal system at work. Despite being in such a majority, they hardly influence the decision making in the university. And even to get their petty issues resolved, there is dependency on their male counterparts. Not just that, the university, which is considered to be a ‘centre of
excellence’, cases of eve-teasing or harassment are rampant. And attitude of the authorities is such that instead of addressing the problem and taking necessary steps, much
checks and restrictions are imposed upon the movement of girls. Under the garb of providing ‘security’ to the girls, they are further pushed behind the walls and the whole

OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF COLONIES ! SUPPORT THE STRUGGLES OF WORKING CLASS !!

OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF COLONIES !
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE STRUGGLE OF THE PEOPLE FOR THEIR BASIC RIGHTS !!
STAND IN OPPOSITION TO SUCH POLICIES WHICH UNDER THE NAME OF DEVELOPMENT RENDER PEOPLE HOMELESS !!!
 
The Chandigarh Administration is on the move to demolish the colonies to make Chandigarh a 'Slum-free' city and to 'raise' the standard of the people living in the colonies by 'rehabilitating' them in small one room flats. However the claims of the govt. to rehabilitate the people have proven to be just castles in the air and the whole project has resulted in devastation of people at large.

A few months back under the "Chandigarh Small Flat Scheme" the Colony no. 5, the biggest colony in the city, was demolished. Where only a small fraction of people just 1/3rd were alloted flats, rest were rendered homeless. The alloted flats at Dhanas are nothing more than just pigeon holes and are not in a livable condition.


Following which the prior-residents of the demolished colony, of the colonies to be demolished and from the Dhanas Rehabilitation Colony went to DC office with their demands. The DC promised to address their problems. But next week when people gathered in front of his office, giving an excuse he sent a Tehsildar instead who had no powers under his jurisdicton. Meanwhile some evicted people had started living in the Transit colony at sec-52 but were being regularly harassed by the police and were being forced to evacuate. A demand was also put forward to allow the people to stay there, atleast for the winters. The people were promised that a list would be issued by the Housing Board under which people would be allowed to stay at the Transit Colony. But no such list was issued.

Following which a protest was held infront of Estate Office at sec-42 A. People from the demolished colony, of the colonies to be demolished and from the Dhanas Rehabilitation Colony participated in a huge no. A memorandum regarding various problems faced by the people was submitted to DC. Demand for the revocation of the policy was also put forward.The DC ensured to address the problems. A meeting was called by him which included the Heads of various departments like food, transport, election and officials of the housing board. Representatives of the struggling people were also invited. The administration agreed on matters like voter cards and ration cards but was not ready to discuss any issue at policy level.

As seen administration is adamant to carry on with its policy which has created such a havoc where the masses are being deprived of their basic rights and rendered homeless. The people are being forced to leave the city they created with their labor.

We appeal all the sections of the society to stand in solidarity with and support the struggle of the toiling masses for their basic rights. We appeal all to expose and oppose such policies that are framed in the name of 'Development', the 'Development' which is unfair and offensive towards the working masses and takes away even their basic rights.

OPPOSE THE RECENT DECISION BY THE UNIVERSITY TO HIKE FEE OF ALL HOSTELS AND COURSES FROM NEXT SESSION

EDUCATION IS NOT FOR SALE !
OPPOSE FEE HIKE !!

RESIST THE COMMODIFICATION OF EDUCATION !!! 

University is in process to make changes in the fee-structure, raising fee of all departments and hostels. Recently meeting held under your Chairpersonship has decided to implement a fee-hike of 10-20% in various courses and 10% in hostel fee.

WE APPEAL ALL THE STUDENTS TO OPPSOSE THE DECISION OF UNIVERSITY TO HIKE FEE AS STEP TOWARDS FURTHER COMMERCIALISATION AND PRIVATISATION OF EDUCATION.

SFS submitted a memorandum to VC regarding the same.

   

                                                          

                                                                  MEMORANDUM

To

The Vice-Chancellor

Panjab University,

Chandigarh.

Subject: REGARDING THE HIKE IN TUTION FEE OF VARIOUS COURSES AND HOSTELS FROM NEXT SESSION

Sir,

University is in process to make changes in the fee-structure, raising fee of all departments and hostels. Recently meeting held under your Chairpersonship has decided to implement a fee-hike of 10-20% in various courses. Giving various reasons you are trying to justify the same.

The decision of the University seems quite arbitrary. As already the fee is so sky-high that students have to put very hard to make out their fee, the decision will further limit the no. of students coming from weaker economic and social backgrounds.

Sir, the institutions such as ours are the centers for public welfare and education is one of the primary needs of a person for which the ‘Welfare State’ is to be liable. The decisions of the university has been such from past few decades that the purpose “to stand for humanism and provide education to the masses of the country” has been pushed aside. On the contrary, Education is being presented as a Commodity which is to be sold in the market which is further controlled by profit-loss phenomenon. It is being made a privilege, which only a few can relish. 

ਬਸਤੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਤੋੜੇ ਜਾਣ ਦਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕਰੋ ! ਮਿਹਨਤਕਸ਼ ਜਨਤਾ ਦੇ ਹੱਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੀ ਹਿਮਾਇਤ ਕਰੋ !!

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ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀ ਦੋਸਤੋ, ਲੋਕ-ਸਭਾ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਜ਼ਦੀਕ ਹੋਣ 'ਤੇ ਅੱਜ ਦੇਸ਼ ਭਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਿਆਸਤ ਦਾ ਮਾਹੌਲ ਗਰਮਾਇਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ। ਹਰ-ਇੱਕ ਰਾਜਨੀਤਿਕ ਧਿਰ ਭਾਰਤ ਨੂੰ 'ਵਿਕਾਸ' ਦੇ ਰਾਹ ਤੇ ਪਾਉਣ ਦਾ ਦਾਅਵਾ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਕਾਂਗਰਸ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਰਥਿਕ ਸੁਧਾਰਾਂ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਦੇਸ਼ ਨੂੰ ਆਰਥਿਕ ਸੰਕਟ ਤੋਂ 'ਬਾਹਰ ਕੱਢਣ ਦੀ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼' ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ, ਕਿਤੇ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਗੁਜਰਾਤ ਮਾਡਲ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਰਤ ਦੀ ਤਰੱਕੀ ਦੇ ਰਾਹ ਵਜੋਂ ਪੇਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਕਿਤੇ ਨਵੀਂ ਉੱਭਰੀ ਆਮ ਆਦਮੀ ਪਾਰਟੀ ਭ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟਾਚਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਸਮੱਸਿਆਵਾਂ ਦੀ ਜੜ੍ਹ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਦੇ ਰਾਹ ਦਾ ਰੋੜਾ ਦੱਸ ਕੇ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਵਾਅਦੇ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ।
          ਪਰ 'ਵਿਕਾਸ' ਦੇ ਏਜੇਂਡੇ 'ਤੇ ਹੋ ਰਹੀ ਇਸ ਰੱਸਾ-ਕਸ਼ੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਕ ਵੱਡੇ ਤਬਕੇ ਦਾ ਖਿਆਲ ਸਾਰੀ ਚਰਚਾ 'ਚੋਂ ਹੀ ਬਾਹਰ ਹੈ।ਉਹ ਤਬਕਾ ਜੋ ਇੱਕ ਪਾਸੇ ਤਾਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਕਿਰਤ ਨਾਲ ਦੁਨੀਆਂ ਅੰਦਰਲੀ ਹਰ ਚੀਜ਼ ਸਿਰਜ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਪਰ ਦੂਜੇ ਪਾਸੇ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਦੀਆਂ ਬਹੁ-ਚਰਚਿਤ ਧਾਰਨਾਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਰ ਝੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ।ਇਹ ਵਰਗ ਹੈ ਸਾਡੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਕਿਰਤੀ ਕਾਮਿਆਂ ਦਾ। ਅੱਜ ਜਦੋਂ ਨਵ-ਉਦਾਰੀਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਇਸ ਯੁੱਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਦੇ ਮਾਅਨੇ ਲੰਮੀਆਂ ਚੌੜੀਆਂ ਸੜਕਾਂ, ਸੜਕਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਦੌੜਦੀਆਂ ਮਹਿੰਗੀਆਂ ਗੱਡੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਵੱਡੇ-ਵੱਡੇ ਸ਼ਾਪਿੰਗ ਮਾਲਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਵੇਖੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਹੋਣ ਤਾਂ ਇਹ ਕਿਰਤੀ ਵਰਗ ਮਨਮੋਹਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਦੇ ਅਰਥ ਸ਼ਾਸ਼ਤਰ 'ਚ ਕਿਤ ਵੀ ਫਿੱਟ ਨਹੀਂ ਬੈਠਦਾ! ਸਾਰਾ ਦਿਨ ਹੱਡ-ਤੋੜ ਕਮਾਈ ਕਰਨ ਬਾਅਦ ਵੀ ਪੇਟ ਭਰਨ ਦਾ ਸਵਾਲ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੋਜ਼ਾਨਾਂ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਵਾਂਗ ਹਾਸ਼ੀਏ 'ਤੇ ਹੀ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ।'ਵਿਕਾਸ' ਨੀਤੀਆਂ ਕਾਰਨ ਵੱਧ ਰਹੀ ਮਹਿੰਗਾਈ ਤੇ ਬੇਰੁਜ਼ਗਾਰੀ ਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਪਾਸੇ ਤਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਚੂੰਬਰ ਕੱਢ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਦੂਜੇ ਪਾਸੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਦੇ 100 ਪਰਿਵਾਰ 1/4 ਆਮਦਨ 'ਤੇ ਕਬਜ਼ਾ ਕਰੀ ਬੈਠੇ ਹਨ।

          ਵਿਕਾਸ ਦੀ ਇਸ ਅਖੌਤੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਦਾ ਕੌੜਾ ਸੱਚ ਪਿਛਲੇ ਦਿਨੀ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ 'ਚ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਆਇਆ।ਠੰਡ ਦੇ ਮੌਸਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੀ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਦੀ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਡੀ ਬਸਤੀ ੫ ਨੰ: ਕਲੋਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਬੇਕਿਰਕੀ ਨਾਲ ਤੋੜ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਲਗਭਗ 2000 ਪੁਲਿਸ-ਕਰਮੀ ਅਤੇ 20 ਬੁਲਡੋਜ਼ਰ ਤੈਨਾਤ ਕਰ 10,000 ਦੀ ਆਬਾਦੀ ਵਾਲੀ 108 ਏਕੜ ਵਿੱਚ ਫੈਲੀ ਬਸਤੀ ਨੂੰ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਢਾਈ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਅੰਦਰ ਤਹਿਸ-ਨਹਿਸ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ।ਕਰੀਬ 200 ਲੋਕ ਜੋ ਉਜਾੜੇ ਦਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੇ ਸਨ, ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਦੇ ਲੀਡਰ ਦੁਆਰਾ 'ਜੇਲ-ਭਰੋ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ' ਦਾ ਸੱਦਾ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਜੇਲ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਬੰਦ ਕਰਵਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਐੱਸ.ਐੱਸ.ਪੀ. ਵੱਲੋਂ ਬਸਤੀ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਰਧਾਰਤ ਸਮੇਂ ਤੋਂ ਕਰੀਬ ਅੱਧੇ ਸਮੇਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਢਾਹਉਣ ਲਈ ਪੁਲਿਸ-ਕਰਮੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਧਾਈ ਵੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ।'ਸਿਰਜਨਾਤਮਕ ਉਜਾੜੇ' ਹੇਠ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਦੀ 'ਸੁੰਦਰਤਾ' ਲਈ ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੇਘਰ ਕਰ ਦਿਤਾ ਗਿਆ।

OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF COLONIES! SUPPORT THE STRUGGLES OF THE WORKING CLASS!!

OPPOSE THE DEMOLITION OF COLONIES! OPPOSE THE INHUMANE ATTITUDE OF GOVT TOWARDS TOILING MASSES!! SUPPORT THE STRUGGLES OF THE WORKING CLASS!!

Dear Friends, with the Lok Sabha elections at the doorsteps, the political scenario of the country is heating up. Every political party is trying to woo the voters with the agenda of ‘DEVELOPMENT’. While Congress is ‘trying to pull the country out of financial crises’ through its economic reforms, BJP is presenting “Gujarat Model of development” as the ‘only’ way to progress and the newly emerged AAP, recognizing “Corruption” as the main problem of the people and hindrance in the path of development, is promising to eliminate it.

However, in this whole agenda of ‘Development’, the very concern of a large section of society is nowhere. The section which on the one hand, with its labor, is creating everything in this world but on the other is bearing the onslaught of this popular concept of ‘Development’. This section is toiling masses of the country. In this era of Neo-liberalism, when the meaning of development is understood by big roads, fly-overs, luxurious cars and the big shopping malls, this section finds no place in the Economics of Manmohan Singh! Even after whole days’ hard labor, the very basic question of their survival remains marginalized. Due to these ‘Developmental’ policies and with rising inflation and unemployment as its effects, the condition of the people is worsening and on the other hand only 100 Rich Families in India have more than 1/4^th of total income.

Few days back, the fury of this concept of ‘Development’ struck the slums of Chandigarh. The biggest slum in Chandigarh, colony no. 5 was demolished mercilessly in the harsh winters. Deploying about 2000 policemen and 20 bulldozers, colony with around 70,000 population, spread in 108 acres of land was levelled to ground in just two and a half days. Thanks to ‘wisdom’ of BJP, about 200 people, who could have resisted, were in prison due their call for “Jail Bharo Andolan”. The SSP even extended the greetings to the police personnel for accomplishing the task in just half the time estimated. Under the gimmick of “creative destruction”, thousands of people were rendered homeless to beautify the city.

" ਦਿਸਹੱਦੇ ਤੋਂ ਪਾਰ - Beyond Horizon " : The Wall Magazine by SFS