"Milon Das' rustication illegal. Pradush Kiran Nath wants to safeguard corrupt officer Pinak Pani Nath Purkayastha," Biswarup Bhattacharjee, AUSU

Assam Unversity Students’ Union (AUSU) members and a few other students continuing their protest in Assam University Silchar. The competent authority exercising the rights bestowed on it by the constitution of the institution, rusticated research scholar Milon Das on February 8, 2020, for a period of two years. The authority informed that the decision to rusticate Das was taken on the basis of the time to time complaints it received from the security officer, behaviour with the VC in public and others. The authority has also forbidden Das from entering the University premises for the said period and lodged an FIR at Silchar Sadar Police Station which has non-bailable charges against him.

The protesting students’ demands are: 1) The University authority must immediately revoke the rustication. 2) The FIR against Milon Das must be withdrawn. 3) The vice-chancellor of the University must resign.

The strike will enter is fourth-day and it is worth mentioning that it is losing its strength. Registrar in-charge, PK Nath used the media well to inform all the guardians that more students can get rusticated and therefore they must ask their children to stay out of the strike. Biswarup Bhattacharjee, president of AUSU, however, believes that the registrar in-charge is wasting public money by putting up ads and threatening students. Bhattacharjee said, “He is wasting public money to warn the guardians of the students so that the guardians of the students in fear do not send their sons and daughters in the university so that the peaceful protest of the students can be ruined.”

Bhattacharjee alleged that PK Nath has issued the rustication notice without proper investigation in order to meet his own vested interest. Biswaroop Bhattacharjee added, ” Pradosh Kiran Nath who wants to safeguard one of his corrupt officers Pinak Pani Nath Purkayastha has made all the conspirational plots against Milon Das. The registrar In-charge is also trying to divide the students of the university to create chaos.”

The president of the Students’ Union urged intervention from the Prime Minister’s Office and also appealed to the President of India. Biswarup Bhattacharjee in his note to both the offices wrote, “Milon Das is always working for the country. But to defame him they are trying to make his image as a member of the Tukde Tukde gang. Therefore we request you to please kindly intervene because nobody is helping us. Please, Sir, this is our humble request. Please do not let the corrupt officials ruin the career of a Sayang Sevak (Milon Das) who also belongs from a poor Schedule Caste family.”