Principal: Enforcing discipline cannot be considered ‘autocratic’
TEAM HERALD
PONDA: About 400 students of Goa Engineering College (GEC), Farmagudi-Ponda, on Monday have threatened to boycott lectures after accusing the principal of autocratic rule in the college.
Dismissing the allegation, GEC Principal Dr Rajesh Lohani has claimed that enforcing discipline among students cannot be considered “autocratic”.
According to information, the students were unhappy after several girl students were asked to deposit their identity cards while entering the girl’s hostel after the event ‘Tandav’ in the college campus on Saturday night. The event was only for the GEC students.
“This is unacceptable, as the event was in the college campus and demanding identity cards for being late does not arise. Fearing that the college would contact their parents, many students did not enter the hostel and were forced to stay either at their friends’ house or were accommodated in the boy’s hostel,” said Goa University Council Students Coordinator Nikhil Bhingade.
Interestingly, the GEC Student Council members were not present on the occasion. However, Bhingade claimed that GEC Students Council has supported them in the agitation.
Goa University Students Council General Secretary Hemali Dessai said GEC students are unhappy over the functioning of the principal. “The principal should have allowed the students to enter the hostel on Saturday night and could have questioned them on Monday. Looking at the issue of women safety, the principal should not have taken such a stand,” stated Dessai.
The aggrieved students also claimed that there were various restrictions on almost all student activities in the college campus.
About 400 students gathered outside the College principal’s office shouting slogans demanding a change in the principal. GEC University Representative (UR) along with Dessai and Bhingade met the principal over the issue and claimed they were treated in a bad manner by the principal.
Speaking to reporters, Principal Dr Rajesh Lohani denied the allegation and said: “It’s wrong to say that we denied entry to the girl students after the event was over. Some students, who came late after the event, were asked to submit the I-cards and were allowed and it is the normal procedure being followed.”
“About 35 students reached much later after the event was over and we will inform their parents about the incident. I don’t understand why students are unhappy as I am only trying to bring discipline in the campus by following the rules,” said Lohani.
