Savitribai Phule Pune University has banned protests, demonstrations, meetings and marches on its campus over national or broader issues not directly connected to the university, prompting student groups to demand that the decision be withdrawn immediately.
The restriction was approved by SPPU’s Management Council, according to a resolution reported by Punekar News. The university said repeated marches and demonstrations by organisations including the Cockroach Janata Party and Samyak Vidyarthi Andolan had focused on national-level questions and issues unrelated to the institution.
The resolution said sudden protests could disrupt the peaceful academic environment, potentially damage university property and place additional pressure on campus security. On that basis, the university decided that gatherings concerning broader issues unrelated to SPPU would not be permitted on its premises.
The decision has been opposed by the University Students’ Struggle Action Committee. Its president, Abhishek Shelkar, said students had a fundamental right to express their views and assemble peacefully under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Indian Constitution. He alleged that the university’s move amounted to a suppression of student democracy.
Shelkar also objected to restrictions on gatherings near the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, a location specifically mentioned in the students’ criticism. The committee questioned whether the restrictions would be applied equally to organisations affiliated with the ruling political establishment and appealed to progressive student groups to unite against the resolution.
The dispute places campus administration and student participation at the centre of SPPU’s latest decision. The university’s resolution links the restriction to maintaining academic peace, protecting property and managing security, while student organisations have framed it as a question of constitutional expression and peaceful assembly.
The University Students’ Struggle Action Committee has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circular. SPPU’s response to the students’ objections, and whether the Management Council intends to reconsider the resolution, was not immediately available.
