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Cusat meet abandoned

Meeting turned uproarious and had to be adjourned first and then abandoned later
KOCHI: The syndicate meeting of the Cochin University of Science and Technology on Tuesday turned uproarious and had to be adjourned first and then abandoned later over the adamant stand of a syndicate member over an inquiry involving acting Vice-Chancellor Dr Paulose Jacob.
Syndicate member Sunny P. Jose raised the issue of a CBI inquiry against Dr Paulose Jacob as soon as the minutes of the earlier syndicate meeting were passed by Tuesday’s syndicate meeting around 10.45 a.m. When it started to discuss the day’s agenda, Mr Sunny said that the Governor who is the chancellor of the varsity had sent a letter in this regard to the university and that it should be tabled at the syndicate meeting along with the relevant files.
This demand divided the syndicate members into two sections with one section wondering how the issue, which was not on the agenda of the meeting, could be tabled while the other section demanding to accept Mr Sunny’s demand. When this was happening, Mr Sunny moved to the well of the meeting saying unless his demand was not met, he would sit on a hunger strike.
Some of the members tried for a compromise saying that the issue can be taken up in the next meeting of the syndicate. But Mr Sunny did not agree to this. Following the melee, Dr Paulose Jacob adjourned the meet.
He reconvened the meeting at 2 p.m. but Mr Sunny persisted with the demand while the other section also remained adamant that it should not be taken up in Tuesday’s meeting. Interestingly Mr Hibi Eden MLA, a member of the syndicate, who recently locked horns with Mr Sunny P. Jose over his nomination to the panel to select the new VC, was absent in Tuesday’s meeting.
Lathicharge as SFI holds march
Nearly 300 students owing allegiance to SFI held a march to the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) on Tuesday demanding to roll back the proposed five percent hike in fee for courses every year and nearly 100 percent rise in supplementary exam fee. The students also wanted to scrap N-minus Four system and adequate hostel facilities.
The students were lathicharged by the police as the march turned violent when it approached the barricades put up by the police before the university and over a dozen students and two policemen were injured in the melee. Some of the injured were admitted to Ernakulam Government Medical College.

( Source : dc correspondent )
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