Chandigarh, November 7, 2025: A sudden notification from the Central government attempting to dissolve the Punjab University Senate sparked massive protests across Punjab, with Aam Aadmi Party leaders warning that the state’s institutions would not bow to external pressure.
Read more: Protests Erupt Over Centre’s Restructuring of Panjab University Senate
Students of ASAP and AAP workers staged demonstrations in Chandigarh and multiple cities on Tuesday, asserting that “Punjab University is our heritage and will not be taken over by force.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that Punjab University represents the soul of Punjab. “This institution has nurtured revolutionaries, intellectuals, and leaders. We will protect it at every cost,” he said. He added that the government of Punjab would take all necessary measures to ensure the university remains autonomous.
Read more: Punjab to Challenge Panjab University Notification
Senior AAP leaders accused the BJP of attempting to weaken the state’s institutions for political control. “The Center’s decision is not administrative; it is an attack on Punjab’s identity. But this time, Punjab has a government that will not allow such interference,” an AAP spokesperson noted.
Students across Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Bathinda participated in sit-ins and campus protests. Leaders stressed that Punjab’s youth would not quietly accept such overreach. “We are the generation that knows its rights and will fight for them,” said the president of ASAP.
AAP leaders reinforced that the fight is not limited to political circles but has become a people’s movement. “This is Punjab’s collective voice,” said the head of AAP’s Chandigarh unit. #SavePunjabUniversity trended on social media as the party called for unity among citizens, educators, and students.
The party warned that if the decision to dissolve the Senate is not withdrawn promptly, larger protests and roadblocks will follow. “Punjab cannot be suppressed, and it never will be,” the spokesperson added.
