Campus Times | Lucknow 

Lucknow University continues to witness unrest as expelled students protesting against the alleged fee hike and disciplinary expulsions entered the 11th day of their indefinite sit-in demonstration. Students including Prem Prakash Yadav, Ashish Shukla, and Prince Prakash have been at the center of the agitation, demanding reinstatement and permission to appear in examinations.

On Friday, several prominent political and student leaders visited the protest site to extend their support. Former Cabinet Minister and ex-Lucknow University Students’ Union President Arvind Singh Gope, along with senior student leader Trilochandhari Singh, met the protesting students, gathered detailed information about their concerns, and urged the university administration to immediately revoke the expulsions. They also expressed solidarity with the students’ demand for justice and encouraged them to continue their struggle for student rights.

The protest also received academic and social backing when Dr. Laxman Yadav, author of “Professor ki Diary” and a known advocate of social justice, joined the sit-in, extending support to the movement against what students describe as “authoritarian actions” by the university administration.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey, also visited and raised serious concerns over their exclusion from examinations. He stated that denying students the opportunity to appear for exams along with their expulsion was “unfortunate” and confirmed that he had spoken to the university Registrar, who assured him that the matter would be discussed with the Vice-Chancellor upon his return.

Protesters alleged that essential facilities such as water and electricity at the protest site had been cut off, further escalating tensions. The delegation present at the site included several student leaders such as Pradeep Sharma, Mahendra Yadav, Atul Shukla, Akshat Pandey, Rajput Sahu, Aman Dhanuk, Anmol Sharma, Ankit Shukla, Prince Kumar, Shiv Yadav, and Bobby Dhanuk, among others.

As the sit-in continues, students remain firm on their demand for revocation of expulsions and restoration of examination rights, while political and student organizations intensify pressure on the university administration to resolve the issue.