I am not with agitation, but with dialogue: Himanta on Tezpur University protests

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday (December 7, 2025) denounced the ongoing agitation at Tezpur University and said he is not with any form of protests but supports all forms of discussion.

The situation at the varsity had been tense since mid-September, with students accusing VC Shambhu Nath Singh and the authorities of not showing due respect to singer Zubeen Garg even as the state was mourning his death.

“Where there is an agitation, I am not there. I will be there if there is a discussion,” Mr. Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of an official function here.

The students of the central university have enforced a “complete shutdown” on the campus since November 29, forcing the administration to cancel all end-of-term examinations.

Asked if VC Singh has been removed following the visit of a central team to the varsity on Saturday, Mr. Sarma said, “I don’t know.” The CM had on Wednesday said that he spoke to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan regarding the situation, and urged him to appoint a pro-VC immediately, pending an impartial enquiry into the conduct of the present VC.

Gaurav Gogoi on student protest at Tezpur

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday lauded the student-led agitation at Tezpur University as a symbol of “new Assam”.

Mr. Gogoi, the deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha and chief of the party in the state, criticised the government for its handling of the unrest, which started in mid-September following the death of singer Zubeen Garg.

“It is disappointing to see the manner in which Tezpur University is being tackled by the government. At the same time, I am proud of the manner in which the students and faculty of Tezpur University have conducted themselves. Firm, unbending and dignified,” Mr. Gogoi said in a series of posts on X.

Referring to the celebrated statement of Mr. Garg, the MP described the prolonged protests as the “Kanchenjunga spirit of new Assam”.