RGNUL Patiala Protest: For the last three days, students of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) in Patiala have been staging protest against the Vice Chancellor of the College Jai Shankar Singh. RGNUL students are demanding V-C Prof Jai Shankar Singh's resignation as soon as possible. Due to the intense protest, the university announced on Monday that it will remain shut, until further orders. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has assured protesting students on X that “justice will be done” and sought a report from the RGNUL registrar for the entire controversy. Now, the question why RGNUL Patiala students are protesting or what is RGNUL Patiala Students Protest Reason? Below is what you should know-
Why RGNUL Patiala students are demanding V-C Prof Jai Shankar Singh's resignation?
As per reports, the students have accused Vice Chancellor Jai Shankar Singh of breaching girls' right to privacy allegedly entering their hostel room without prior notice for checking and making sexist remarks. RGNUL students have alleged that the V-C entered the girl’s hostel for a surprise checking even 'reached the rooms of some girls' despite the fact that no male member is allowed to enter the rooms of the female students irrespective of how many female faculty members or guards accompany him.
Not only this, the students also accused Prof JS Singh of passing sexist remarks on girls over their clothing style. A student was quoted saying, "He casually passes remarks on woman students and faculty. Once he even suggested that woman students should be taught cooking etc to prepare for married life ahead."
What did RGNUL V-C Prof Jai Shankar Singh say about this?
V-C Prof Jai Shankar Singh denied the allegation and said that he visited the girls’ hostel to inspect and 'identify students who smoke and drink alcohol after midnight' as he had received several complaints. Currently, the students are staging a 'dharna' outside the V-C’s residence located in the campus.
To resolve the issue Registrar Prof Anand Pawar constituted a nine-member committee to 'examine the grievances' and called the students Monday afternoon for an 'amicable discussion'. However, none of the protesting students attended it and hence, the administration ordered the closure of the university and asked “students to proceed” for homes.
On the entire controversy, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took to his X handle and wrote, "Disturbing to read that Patiala’s RGNUL has been shut after students demanded the V-C’s resignation over a surprise girls’ hostel inspection to “check on drinking after midnight”, and a disgraceful pattern of sexist remarks on women. It is startling that the Vice Chancellor of a law university seems completely unaware of his students’ constitutional right to privacy. The government should immediately appoint a commission of enquiry, and the VC should step aside until its findings are released. The behaviour reported in the media seems at the least inappropriate."