Youth Congress activists ransack BPUT office in Orissa

Rourkela, Nov 18 (UNI) The Students and Youth Congress activists today ransacked the office of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) and demanded that the varsity headquarters be shifted from here to Rourkela.

Hundreds of students and Youth Congress supporters, led by state Youth Congress President Rohit Pujari and former MLA Pravat Mohapatra, also sat on a dharna in front of the university and locked its office in protest.

Though an Act said the varsity's headquarter would be located in Rourkela, it was actually functioning from Bhubaneswar, they alleged.

Mr Pujari threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike, if the authorities failed to concede to their demand within eight days.

''The foundation stone of the varsity, laid by former President A P J Abdul Kalam six years back, was missing and the compound wall of the university had been damaged,''said Pujari.

Currently, the office was functioning with one head clerk and two peons at the State Technology Institute campus, Pujari alleged.

He said though two years back, the Vice-Chancellor had assured to shift the headquarters of the university within a fortnigh but, no steps had been taken, so far.

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