Savitribai Phule Pune University has barred protests, demonstrations, meetings and marches on its campus over national or broader issues not directly connected to the university, prompting student organisations to demand that the decision be withdrawn immediately.
The restriction was approved by the university’s Management Council, according to a resolution reported by Punekar News. The resolution said repeated demonstrations by organisations, including the Cockroach Janata Party and Samyak Vidyarthi Andolan, on national-level issues had disrupted the academic environment and placed additional pressure on campus security.
The university also cited the risk of damage to campus property while explaining the decision. Under the resolution, gatherings concerning broader issues unrelated to SPPU will not be permitted on university premises.
The move has been opposed by the University Students’ Struggle Action Committee. Its president, Abhishek Shelkar, said students had a constitutional right to express their views and assemble peacefully under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution.
“On one hand, the state government has constituted a committee for student elections, while on the other, Pune University is suppressing students’ democracy,” Shelkar said, according to the report.
Shelkar also objected to restrictions affecting gatherings near the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on the campus. The student committee has questioned whether the restrictions would be applied equally to organisations affiliated with the ruling political establishment and has appealed to progressive student groups to oppose the resolution collectively.
The decision places the university’s control over campus activities at the centre of the dispute. While the Management Council cited academic peace, property protection and security pressures, student organisations have argued that campus spaces should remain available for democratic expression, including on issues extending beyond the university itself.
The resolution followed what the university described as sudden protests and marches by student organisations. The available report does not specify the duration of the restriction, whether the university has created an alternative permission mechanism for gatherings, or how the rule will be enforced in practice.
SPPU’s response to the students’ objections and whether it plans to reconsider or withdraw the resolution were not immediately available. The University Students’ Struggle Action Committee has demanded the immediate rollback of the decision.
