Students of Central University, Koraput, protest in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 9: Students of Central University of the state in Koraput have announced an indefinite strike demanding removal of the staff involved in the Wednesdays’ brawl at the university camp office here.

At least 300 students of the university will boycott classes and lock the university gates in Koraput demanding action against the erring staff. At least three different FIRs in connection with the case have already been lodged at the Saheed Nagar police station. “All students (150 students each from both batches) along with common public will be joining the stir. We will not budge till all our demands are heard,” said Nishan Pattnaik, a students who was left injured in the incident.

The students will also protest against the recent fee hike and absence of sufficient faculties. Among others, the major demand will be the shifting of the camp office to Koraput. “The camp office has been giving them a pretext to stay in Bhubaneswar. They are not just bothered to come down here and listen to the problems we have been facing,” said Uday Nayak, another student.

“The VC and registrar both stay in Bhubaneswar and never visit Koraput. We have no one to air our grievances to here,” he said. The students alleged that there was no library, no adequate faculty and no proper food and accommodation for students. “Every time we complaint, the VC makes as excuse of communication problem,” Pattnaik said.

On Wednesday, Union minister of state for human resource development, D Purandeswari, was in Bhubaneswar to address the students and faculties of Central University. Students who travelled all the way from Koraput wanted to meet vice-chancellor Surabhi Banerjee and discuss certain issues they were facing. Despite their protests outside the programme venue, Banerjee apparently did not listen to the students and reportedly asked them to reach the camp office. At the camp office, they were stopped by the staff there. In the scuffle, both students and the staff were injured. The students complained the VC didn’t bothered to talk to them.

“She has been sending other staff asking us for a compromise but we have decided not to budge unless our problems are resolved,” said Pattanik.