Lucknow:She has always championed the cause of human rights and secularism in the city of nawabs. But last week, Lucknow residents realised that behind Rooprekha Verma's frail frame was a willpower stronger than steel.As the newly-appointed (acting) vice-chancellor of the violence-ridden Lucknow University one of the first things that Verma did was to drive out the much-despised Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) from the campus saying it was an eyesore. The PAC has been camping inside the university since 1972 and yet there was no semblance of peace there. Despite demands from human rights groups, intellectuals and a large section of students and teachers, no one dared to evict the notorious police force, which had developed a nexus with mafia dons among the students. Verma, a spinster and head of the department of philosophy, is a highly-respected teacher. Aware of the nuisance value of the PAC, her request to the administration was to "remove the dreaded police force and give peace a chance on the campus". Verma's logic was simple: whenever student violence rocked the campus, it was not the PAC but the district administration and the local police who intervened and restored peace. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}What then was the use of converting the campus into PAC barracks? And true to her own assessment, though considered a risky one, not a leaf stirred when the PAC was packed off.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Mar 2, 1998--- ENDS ---
