freedom of speech

Chandigarh, July 8, 2025 — Punjab Higher Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has lashed out at Panjab University’s new requirement for fresh students to submit an affidavit as part of the 2025–26 admissions process, condemning the move as “dictatorial and arbitrary.”In a strongly worded letter to Panjab University Vice Chancellor, Bains demanded an immediate review of the policy, questioning its legality, procedural correctness, and implications for democratic life on campus.Bains, who serves as an ex-officio member of the university’s Senate, expressed doubts over whether the controversial affidavit was drafted and implemented through proper channels like the Senate or Syndicate. “This…