LU closed indefinitely; no union elections in LU this session

Lucknow, Dec 8 (UNI) Lucknow University(LU) authorities today announced to indefintely close down the university after yesterday's student unrest and decided not to hold student union polls in the current academic session.

The authorities also ordered the students to vacate the hostels within 24 hours.

The student leaders retaliated by terming the decision on vacation of hostels and postponement of elections as ''undemocratic.'' Ruling Samajwadi Party-backed student leaders Ram Singh Rana and Pawan Pandey said the students would not vacate the hostels and would fight the issue on roads.

LU Vice Chancellor R P Singh told mediapersons here that decision to close down the university was taken after a meeting as law and order was not conducive for studies at present.

Mr Singh said it had also been decided not to conduct students union polls during the current academic session and the students have been asked to vacate their hostels within 24 hours.

The VC during his press briefing also criticised the state government for ''encouraging student leaders with a criminal background which led to the present crisis.'' ''Most of the student leaders are criminals and it is unfortunate that the present state government is supporting them'', he categorically said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Singh, along with principals of five affiliated colleges, met Governor T V Rajeswar over the students' unrest over the implementation of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations and held discussions with him for one hour in Raj Bhawan.

''We have apprised the governor about yesterday's vandalism by students leaders and police inactiveness,'' Mr Singh told reporters outside Raj Bhawan.

The VC said they apprised him about demands of student leaders and opposed the state government's decision to provide security to the students leaders with criminal background.

He said the university has always opposed the police security and private security for student leaders inside the campus as it created law and order problem.

''The Governor gave us a patient hearing and has assured to assist us to control the situation,'' the VC said.

''We have conveyed to the Governor that in no way university authorities would like to dilute the Lyngdoh committee recommendations for holding student union polls,'' he said.

Meanwhile, students' agitation has spread to other parts of the state with reports of students indulging in the violence in Gorakhpur and other smaller centres.

Students of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya University at Gorakhpur this morning lodged violent protests after University authorities ordered to defer the students union polls to seek opinion of Advocate General on the issue.

Students indulged in heavy stone pelting and damaged several Roadways buses in the process.

Police had to use mild force to disperse the agitated students.

Some mild protests were also reported from other parts of the state, the reports reaching here at the state headquarters said.

The trouble sparked off yesterday following Lucknow University administration orders to ban all those students from contesting student union polls -- slated for December 16 -- against whom punitive action was taken.

The students of Lucknow University supported by students groups of other degree college indulged in large-scale violence, forcing police to use lathicharge. After the violence LU has been closed due to unrest.

The LU had earlier decided relax provisions for the December 16 LU Students Union (LUSU) polls but later decided against it.

UNI MB/NAB VA GC1702