Pune: MPSC Protest At Alka Chowk Called Off On Fifth Day After HC Urges Students To Return To Studies

Pune: The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) protest at Alka Chowk was called off on Wednesday, the fifth day of the agitation, after the Bombay High Court urged protesting students to return to their studies and focus on their careers, while assuring them that their grievances would be addressed through the judicial process.

The agitation was led by Ajinath Kedar, who decided to withdraw the protest after Wednesday's hearing.

"This protest was for the students and their future. The court has now taken cognisance of our grievances. We will respect the court's appeal and ask students to return to their studies, prepare for the examinations and give their best," Kedar said.

The court, while hearing a petition filed by Pune residents Amit Balu Supekar and Sourabh Prabhakar Virkar, who were among 15 petitioners, observed that students protesting alleged examination malpractices were not anti-social elements and that the government was duty-bound to ensure examinations were conducted fairly and without malpractices. The bench also said aggrieved students had a right to protest when they believed there had been wrongdoing.

Supekar, who was present during the hearing, said the court took note of both sides of the issue.

"The court clearly recognised that the students have genuine grievances and that the government must restore their trust in the examination system. At the same time, the court appealed to the students to return to their colleges and studies as their careers should not suffer," he said.

The court also asked the state to submit a roadmap within three weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on Nov 25.

The petition filed by Supekar, Virkar and others sought action over simultaneous protests at SM Joshi Bridge, Alka Talkies Chowk and Ahilya Study Centre, besides a designated space for public agitations in Pune.

The petition recorded that the Alka Talkies Chowk agitation had begun on Oct 3 and argued that the protests were affecting traffic and daily life in the city.

With the Alka Chowk protest withdrawn, Kedar said the focus would shift back to examinations.

"The students came onto the streets for their rights. Now they will return to their studies and give their best in the examination," he said.