Panjab University's Cultural Fest Ban Brazenly Ignored Amid Star Night Announcements
Exactly one year after Panjab University imposed a strict ban on cultural festivals in the wake of the tragic murder of student Aditya Thakur during a campus event, that very prohibition is being openly and defiantly violated. The lessons learned and the comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established last year appear to have been completely disregarded.
PUCSC Announces Three Star Nights with High-Profile Political Guests
The Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) president has announced a three-day cultural programme titled "Jhankaar," featuring star nights on the main campus. The events are slated to have prominent political figures as chief guests, including former Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Haryana Minister Vipul Goel, and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini.
The schedule is as follows:
- Monday: A Himachali star night featuring singer Kuldeep Sharma, with Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur as chief guest.
- Tuesday: A Haryanvi star night and DJ programme, with Haryana Minister Vipul Goel as chief guest.
- Wednesday: A Punjabi star night with Sufi singer Satinder Sartaaj, listing Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini as chief guest.
All events are proposed to be held at the UBS ground on the university campus, and preparations are reportedly in full swing.
Direct Violation of University's Post-Tragedy SOPs
This announcement comes in stark contrast to the university's own drafted SOPs for campus festivals, which were specifically created following last year's incidents. Those procedures explicitly included banning star nights and implementing tighter financial oversight to prevent misuse of funds and ensure security.
PUCSC president Sohal claimed that the council has obtained most approvals for the event, including permission from Panjab University for the UBS ground venue and from the administration. He stated that only permission for the March 18 star night is awaited, expected by Monday.
However, Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig provided a contradictory account, revealing that the proposal for the March 18 programme had not yet been forwarded to the administration by the Dean of Student Welfare (DSW) office. Despite repeated attempts, the DSW office did not respond to queries regarding permissions or the necessary financial approvals for the programme.
Financial Oversight and Sponsorship Concerns Resurface
Posters for the "Jhankaar" event list a large number of private sponsors and partners, raising immediate red flags. The university's SOPs, introduced after Aditya Thakur's death, mandated that all external sponsorships must be routed through and scrutinised by the DSW office. This was to ensure transparency and compliance with university rules, especially after concerns were raised about large-scale concerts and celebrity performances being funded through private sponsorships that far exceeded the university's allocated budget of approximately Rs 22 lakh for student council activities.
The sponsorship-heavy nature of the current programme posters directly questions whether this mandated financial oversight mechanism is being followed at all.
A Tragic Backdrop and Unheeded Protests
Aditya Thakur was stabbed to death during a campus fest, an incident that triggered widespread protests over security lapses, fest spending, and the permissions granted for star nights. In response, Panjab University drafted the very SOPs that are now being seemingly ignored.
Last year, activists affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged demonstrations, questioning how large-scale star nights and fest activities had been permitted despite evident security concerns. The protests escalated, resulting in the vandalism of the DSW office and the manhandling of the university's security chief.
The announcement of these multiple star nights, coupled with extensive sponsor listings and a lack of clarity from the DSW office on permissions and financial oversight, has once again thrust the implementation—or lack thereof—of the university's own safety and governance safeguards into the harsh spotlight.
