IIT Indore campus turns into virtual fortress

One of the main entrances has been sealed with tin sheets barring students to get the slightest view of outside world. Parents of protesting students are regularly summoned to listen to allegations against their wards and face threats of consequences

Indore: Premises of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore, which has been witnessing protests by pupils for past some days, has virtually turned into a “Nazi concentration camp” for students after they participated in protests against substandard food served to them on the campus and raised voice against institute authorities.

While one of the main entrances of the campus has been sealed with tin sheets barring students to get the slightest view of the outside world, parents of the protesting students are regularly being summoned to listen to allegations of their wards compromising security of the institute and face threats of consequences.

After a weeklong protest by students on the campus (the protest is still going on social media), the institute has started identifying students who participated in the protest and calling their parents to the campus.

In a letter issued to parents of some such students, IIT Indore dean (student affairs) Abhishek Shrivastava said: “We are sorry to inform you that your son has been found to be indulging in acts of indiscipline at IIT Indore and in the process compromising on the security of the institute. The institute views this very seriously and in this regard would request you to make yourself available before a high-level committee at IIT Indore at the earliest. The committee comprising senior faculty and administration personnel would like to personally apprise you on the matter.”

Moreover, after attempting to gag voices of the protesting students by dissolving the student body Gymkhana some days ago, now the institute has put several other strict measures in place to subdue the protest.

“We are served with substandard quality of food, the student body has been dissolved, our justified movement is watched and controlled, and we are threatened of action if we oppose the authorities. We feel like as if we are in some sort of jail,” said one of the students pleading anonymity.

He said that the institute authorities had sealed one of the entrances with tin sheets where ABVP activists assembled to support students protesting against the errant Bhopal Caterers who runs mess on the institute campus.

The students are cross with IIT Indore officials over the Bhopal Caterers issue. While students want their contract to be cancelled for serving poor quality food, director Pradeep Mathur is quite happy with the caterer.

IIT Indore media in charge Nirmala Menan could not be reached for her comment on the issue. However, a senior faculty wishing anonymity admitted that vigil on the students has been increased and their movement has been controlled.