Pune Police Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr is set to convene a meeting on Saturday with the administration of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and various student organisations. The primary agenda is to discuss measures aimed at preserving academic integrity within the university premises while fostering an environment that encourages ideological freedom and harmony.
Each student organisation has been permitted to send three to five representatives to the meeting, which is scheduled to take place at the Dnyaneshwar Hall in the SPPU main building at 11am.
This meeting follows recent clashes between student groups on the campus. One altercation involved members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI), resulting in injuries to at least five students. Subsequently, objectionable graffiti depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi was discovered on the walls of hostel no. 8. This led to protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) city unit, resulting in injuries to four students from the left-leaning group New Socialist Alternative.
In response to these incidents, Pune City Police issued prohibitory orders within SPPU premises, restricting gatherings of more than four individuals and prohibiting activities like slogans, rallies, and unauthorised entries. Visitors, including students and those frequenting the campus for walks, expressed discontent with these stringent measures.
