Guwahati/Jorhat: The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) on Friday sought President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention to stop the Assam government's move to downgrade Assam Women's University (AWU) into a technical institution.

A delegation of the AIUDF met Kovind in New Delhi and told him that at a time when the Centre was running the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, the Assam government was planning to downgrade the only women's university in the Northeast.

"We request your good honour for instruction to the Assam government to review the matter and to develop it (AWU) into a full-fledged university and appoint a permanent vice-chancellor for its smooth functioning," the AIUDF said in a memorandum.

The Jorhat unit of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) on Friday organised a procession opposing the government's move.

The procession, which began from Jorhat stadium, saw the participation by several hundred students from various schools and colleges and the AWU. They demanded appointment of a vice-chancellor, faculty members and staff in the university and improving its infrastructure.

Organising secretary of AASU central committee, Jul Khound, said they fully supported the "genuine demands" of AWU students.

PCC vice-president Pradyut Bordoloi, on the other hand, said the stand of the BJP-led state government over AWU is an attack on the initiatives of women empowerment in the country.

"The BJP raised the slogan Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. But they are also moving to downgrade a women's university into a technical institute. It will have a lasting impact on the education scenario of Assam. In AWU, there are students from other states like Goa and other countries like Nigeria along with local girls. So, if the government downgrades the university, it will send a bad massage about the state's education system," he said.

Bordoloi said the move to downgrade the AWU stemmed from a "narrow political interest". "The BJP-led government is going to downgrade the university because it was set up by the Congress. Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is pointing out various loopholes in the functioning of the institute. But he was the education minister when the act for setting up the university was passed in the Assembly," he said.

Members of Congress Legislature Party on Friday sought to meet governor Jagdish Mukhi over the university issue.