Sri Vijaya Puram | February 14, 2026
Tarun Karthick
In a significant show of unity, leaders of political parties and various social, community and trade associations across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Friday announced an island-wide Andaman Bandh on Monday, February 16, expressing solidarity with students protesting against the establishment of a deemed university and the forced affiliation of local colleges to the newly formed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning.
The announcement was made at the protest site outside the gate of Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), where students have been staging a continuous, peaceful agitation for the past one week. The decision followed a nearly two-and-a-half-hour meeting of political parties and associations held earlier in the evening at TSG Emerald View.
Addressing the students, TSG Bhasker, Chairman of the Campaigning Committee of the Andaman & Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), said that representatives from “all political parties and associations” had deliberated extensively on the issue — legally, morally and politically — before arriving at a unanimous decision.
“We have resolved that from Monday morning, Andaman will observe a bandh. No political party has been left out. No association has been left out. This is our first step in support of the students,” he said.
A Joint Action Forum Against Deemed University was formally constituted during the meeting, comprising around 25–26 members representing political parties, NGOs, trade unions and community organisations. The Forum will spearhead the agitation and coordinate further action.
Advocate Rakesh Pal Govind, President of the Local Born Association and General Secretary of the Bar Association, A & N Islands, assured the students of legal support. He stated that the Bar Association stands firmly with the agitation and is prepared to challenge the decision in court if required.
“If the students need to file a case, we are ready to assist them free of cost,” he said, urging protesters to maintain peace.
Govind emphasised that the protest was not against the administration but aimed at safeguarding the academic future of island students. He questioned the urgency behind implementing the deemed university structure without adequate consultation with stakeholders.
Leaders informed that a representation is being prepared and will be submitted to the concerned authorities. Bhasker also announced that he would travel to Delhi to seek meetings with officials of the Home Ministry and other central authorities to place the students’ demands directly before them.
Speakers at the protest site appealed to islanders from Diglipur to Campbell Bay to extend full support to the bandh. They stated that shops, markets, buses, autos, trucks, boats, tourist vehicles and fishing activities would remain suspended for the day. Essential services such as medical shops and milk supply would be exempted.
Representatives of various associations — including auto drivers, truck operators, tourist vehicle operators, boat associations, hotel industry bodies and fishermen’s groups — declared their support for the bandh. Leaders from Tamil Sangam, Andhra Association, Bengali Club, Maharashtra Mandal and several other community organisations were also present at the earlier meeting.
A representative of the fishermen community announced that fishing operations and fish markets would remain closed on February 16 in solidarity with the students.
Several speakers reiterated that the long-standing demand of the islanders has been for a Central University, not a deemed university. They cited examples of recently established central universities in other parts of the country and urged the Member of Parliament to raise the matter in Parliament.
Student representatives also called for a signature campaign during the bandh and appealed to islanders to amplify the issue on social media, including on X (formerly Twitter), to draw national attention.
Students at the JNRM protest site expressed relief and renewed confidence following the announcement of support from across the political and social spectrum.
“For the first few days, we felt alone. Now the entire Andaman is standing with us. This gives us hope,” one protesting student said.
Another student leader stated that the agitation has remained peaceful in keeping with Gandhian principles and that students intend to continue the sit-in until their demands are met.
“We are not here for fame or politics. We are here for the future of island students,” he said, adding that many protesters have been spending nights at the site under difficult conditions.
While announcing the bandh, leaders repeatedly appealed to students and supporters to ensure that the agitation remains peaceful. They cautioned against provocation and advised protesters to avoid any form of violence or unlawful activity.
The Joint Action Forum stated that if the bandh receives overwhelming public response, the matter is likely to reach the highest levels of the Central Government.
With Monday’s bandh now formally announced, the coming days are expected to be crucial in determining the future course of the agitation against the deemed university in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
