Breaking: Students belonging to Lalkar group protest againt RSS event at Punjab University; Police detains several after clashes
Student groups allege lathi-charge during demonstration against proposed RSS-linked programme; administration yet to issue detailed response.
Babushhai Bureau
Chandigarh, July 20, 2026: Tension gripped the Panjab University (PU) campus in Chandigarh on Monday as student organisations led by Lalkar staged a protest against a programme featuring speakers associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The demonstration led to clashes with police, who detained several students after they attempted to march towards the university auditorium.
The protest was organised under the banner of "PU Against Saffronization", a coalition of student groups formed to oppose what they described as the "saffronisation" of the university campus.
The event was scheduled to feature Shanta Kumari, head of the RSS women's wing, and Sadhvi Rithambara, founder of Durga Vahini.
According to the protesting students, they had earlier submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor demanding that the programme be cancelled, arguing that inviting controversial speakers was inappropriate for an educational institution. They alleged that the university administration had assured them the event would not be held inside the campus.
However, the student groups claimed they later learnt that preparations for the programme were continuing within the university premises, prompting them to announce a protest march to the auditorium on Monday morning.
As the protesters approached the venue, Chandigarh Police and university security personnel stopped them using heavy barricading. The situation soon turned tense, with police allegedly using force to disperse the crowd.
Student representatives alleged that police resorted to a lathi-charge and physical force, leaving several students with minor injuries. They also claimed that some protesters' clothes were torn during the confrontation.
Following the clashes, police detained several students and shifted them to the Sector 24 police station, where they were reportedly kept until the afternoon before being released.
Despite the police action, protests continued later in the day. Students from the Department of Political Science held another demonstration on the campus, raising slogans against what they termed the university administration's efforts to promote a partisan ideological agenda.
In a statement, the PU Against Saffronization front described the day's events as a significant victory for the student movement. The group claimed that sustained protests prevented the RSS-linked speakers from entering the university campus.
The student organisations also reiterated their commitment to safeguarding the university's secular and democratic character, saying they would continue to oppose any attempt to introduce communal or divisive politics within the campus.