PG Council cancels Student Union Polls at Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar

As the Utkal University, most popularly known as Vani Vihar, has been witnessing series of violent incidents in the last couple of months, the PG Council has decided not to hold Student Union Polls this year. The PG Council, which held the meeting today, decided to cancel the polls this year. It was intimated by Chairman Ranjan Bal.

The student groups from BJD and ABVP have been at loggerheads at Vani Vihar to gain supremacy. The Congress has been reduced to almost an non-existent entity here. In 2014, ABVP had given a tough fight to the BJD and if we believe the reports, they hold the edge this year.

There were violent clashes inside the campus on the night of 24th July. Several bikes were damaged and students were brutally beaten up. The ABVP students gheraoed the Sahid Nagar police station, prompting the DCP hold discussion with them.

While the cops were trying to defuse the situation, a group of non-students, allegedly backed by the ABVP launched a murderous attack on some students of BJD faction on 25th July. That prompted hundreds of students to block the NH-5 for several hours. At least two students were hacked, but survived with injuries.

Since then, things have been tense inside the campus despite heavy police presence and high security arrangements. The ABVP managed to mobilise opinion against the BJD faction and emerged stronger in the recent days, triggering panic in the ruling camp. Meanwhile, the students have protested against the decision and demanded withdrawal of the order.