Ludhiana, October 6
Former President of the District Congress Committee, Ludhiana (Urban) and former Chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board, Pawan Dewan, has launched a scathing attack on the Bhagwant Mann‑led Punjab government, condemning its practice of converting the premises of educational institutions into venues for non‑academic spectacles.
In a letter written in this regard to the Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria (Copy Attached), Dewan mentioned that on September 28, the ‘Jashan‑e‑Inquilab’ event marking Bhagat Singh’s birth anniversary was staged on PAU’s football and athletics ground, allegedly leaving the sports facilities damaged. “Now, without pause, the government has announced yet another programme (Saras Mela) to be held on PAU grounds from October 29 to November 5. Such repeated diversions not only compromise the sanctity of the university but also erode its core academic and sporting mission,” he added.
Pointing out that the PAU stands as a premier academic institution, where the foremost priority must always remain students, education, research and scholarly pursuits, Dewan said, “Yet, on September 28, the campus was turned into the stage for ‘Jashan‑e‑Inquilab’ — a musical evening attended by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The event was held on PAU’s football and athletics ground, a space traditionally reserved for sportspersons and restricted in entry. Such diversions compromise the sanctity of the university, shifting focus away from its core mission of academics and research.”
Dewan also said that in the aftermath of the ‘Jashan‑e‑Inquilab’ event, students, sportspersons and morning walkers have lashed out at the AAP government for reducing PAU to a mere “political rally ground.” He informed the governor that the opposition to the scheduled Saras Mela at PAU is no longer confined to students alone. “Representatives of the PAU Teachers’ Association, Non‑Teaching Staff Association and Alumni Association have now joined the chorus of protest, questioning whether the university’s priority should be academics or political spectacles,” he added.
Expressing sympathy with the students’ community, Dewan said that during the ‘Jashan‑e‑Inquilab’ event, it was the students of PAU who bore the brunt. “They were forced to endure the ordeal of heavy police barricading, deafening noise and traffic chaos. With the venue located perilously close to the library and lecture halls and mid‑term examinations fast approaching, the disruption has deepened students’ resentment and underscored the misplaced priorities of turning an academic campus into a political stage,” he asserted.
Dewan said that across the spectrum, there is a clear and growing demand that educational institutions must remain dedicated solely to education, research and academic pursuits — not political pageantry. Listing all the relevant points, Dewan has sought the intervention of the Governor to ensure that the proposed Saras Mela is not permitted on the grounds of PAU. “The sanctity of this premier academic institution must be preserved, with its campus reserved for students, scholarship and scientific advancement, rather than being diverted into a stage for political activity,” concluded Dewan.
