Sri Vijaya Puram, February 16 A 14-hour shutdown called by the Joint Action Forum Against Deemed University on Monday brought life to a standstill across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with businesses, transport services, and tourism activities largely suspended.
The shutdown was called in protest against the government's plans to bring all existing government colleges under a proposed deemed university. These institutions are currently affiliated with Pondicherry University.
The JAFADU is a conglomerate of over 100 organizations, including travel and tourism associations, hotel and trade bodies, shop owner groups, transport unions, NGOs, and several political parties, excluding the BJP.
Throughout the day, markets in major towns across the archipelago remained closed, while tourist boat services were halted, and public transport, including buses, trucks, vans, and auto-rickshaws, stayed off the roads, leaving the streets unusually deserted. Only essential services operated normally.
Organizers said the peaceful response demonstrated widespread public support for the students.
"The residents have shown that they stand united for the future of their children. I believe that the central government will definitely reconsider their decision," said TSG Bhasker, the chairman of the Congress campaign committee in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and one of the representatives of the JAFADU.
With no assurance received from the authorities on the students' key demands, the forum announced that it had decided to seek legal intervention and would move to court in the coming days. Rakesh Pal Gobind, co-convener of JAFADU, said, "We will continue the movement through democratic and lawful means until our concerns are addressed."
Representatives of the forum said that the agitation seeks to safeguard the academic interests of island students and ensure the continuity and recognition of degrees currently awarded under Pondicherry University.
The district magistrate of South Andaman, Purva Garg, has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) across the district to avoid any law and order situation.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands MP Bishnu Pada Ray wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday, requesting their "urgent intervention" to take a positive decision to establish a central university (as in Ladakh) in the archipelago in place of the deemed university.
"Furthermore, until the Central University is established, the affiliation of all colleges in the archipelago may be continued with Pondicherry University," his letter read. MNB
