By Deepti Bharthur and Ardra Balachandran
Students had dispersed on Tuesday, September 8th, after the DSW informed them that a Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) meeting will happen next day to decide on future course of action.
As promised, the GRC meeting happened around 3.30 pm at Vice Chancellor’s chamber and finished by 6.30 pm. As soon as Dr Ananthakrishnan, the Dean of Students' Welfare, was dropped off at his office at SN School, SFI members approached him for an update.
He told them that the GRC had decided that after a full review of pertaining documents, a decision will be taken. Unhappy with the mandate that counting was not going to begin soon, SFI members demanded for the same quoting VC’s permission to go ahead with the proceedings. The DSW further explained the issue and expressed the inability to gather observers (for the counting process) so quickly. At this, the SFI members gheraoed Dr. Ananthakrishnan’s office and repeated their demand
Police soon came from the Chanda Nagar station and had a closed room discussion with the DSW to analyse the feasibility of having a counting. After this, it was relayed by the DSW that because the campus environment was not conducive for a peaceful counting process, a minimum of 150 personnel would be required for it to take place.
SFI members agitated again on hearing this announcement. They continued with the allegation that the administration was falling prey to the threatenings of other political parties and postponing the electoral process unnecessarily. However, a faculty member Mr. Vasuki Belavadi from the Department of Communication, who was present at the site also chipped in and convinced them that counting will resume as soon as the required forces are granted by the state; mostly in two days.
SFI comrades seemed to have accepted this suggestion and retired peacefully. Representatives of no other organization were present during the incident.
