Aliah University students agitate, VC says ready for talks

Aliah University Vice-Chancellor Abu Taleb said he was open for dialogue with students to ensure academic atmosphere in the campus even as the students' union today took out a rally with a series of demands including alleged reduction of of seats in different streams.

Vice Chancellor Abu Taleb Khan told PTI, the students were demanding higher number of admission to M Tech and Islamic Theology disciplines.

But with the AICTE having set a target of seats in M Tech, the students' demand for admission of far higher number of candidates cannot be met since without AICTE approval the degrees won't be valid and there would be no campusing harming the students' future prospects, Taleb Khan said.
 

Same was the situation for a stream like Islamic Theology where the students were demanding higher number of seats far exceeding the UGC sanctioned figure, the VC said adding the number of teachers in the stream was also insufficient.

About allegations of the students union that the Executive Council did not have proper representations, the VC said, "There are various factors behind that and the fact finding report will come up with the truth soon."

To the allegations of students union that the VC had called police to the New Town campus on August 11 agitation and beat them up, Khan blamed the unions of first starting the problem by beating up the Principal Secretary, "which resulted in the police rushing to the aid of the IAS officer but I did not call the police to the campus."

"They allege I am not flexible. But I am open for dialogue on all issues to restore normalcy in the university," he said.

Meanwhile, 800 students today went to New Town police station in a rally to protest against alleged police action during August 11 university gherao of VC.

Students' Union leader Zaidul said, "We will launch a bigger movement demanding rise in number of seats, in protest against the undemocratic way the EC has been formed and demanding the fact finding report on various issues be made public soon."

Zaidul, who claimed they were also supported by fellow students from Presidency University and Jadavpur University, said they also demanded "ouster of VC who is the fountainhead of all present ills having plagued the institution.