Chandigarh Aug 23 PTI The opposition Congress on Monday objected to the ruling dispensation allegedly holding political functions in state universities stating that it will set a wrong precedent During the Question Hour in the state assembly Congress MLA B B Batra sought university-wise and party-wise details of programmes in various state universities from September 2019 till date Batra said it is sad to see the state universities being used to hold functions by ruling parties Holding of political functions in universities is wrong It will set a wrong precedent he asserted In his reply to Batras question Education Minister Kanwar Pal said as per the information received from all the state universities except Chaudhary Devi Lal University Sirsa no political party has organised any political programme in them since September 2019 He said according to the Sirsa varsity two political programmes were organised -- one by the Jannayak Janta Party on December 9 2019 and another by the Bharatiya Janata Party on July 11 2021 A payment of Rs 59000 including the Goods and Services Tax each was paid by the two parties for both the programmes he said He said the JJPs district secretary had requested the Sirsa varsitys vice-chancellor to allow him organise the programme while the BJP workers had sought the district administrations permission to organise it in the varsitys multipurpose hall for reasons of safety oand security Notably the farmers agitating against the central farm laws have been opposing the public functions of BJP and JJP leaders In addition Rs 177000 was paid by the Indian National Students Organization a student wing of the Jannayak Janata Party for the programme organized on August 5 2021 at Maharishi Dayanand University Rohtak he informed Making an intervention Chief Minister M L Khattar said taking a decision on giving permission to hold a function in any institution is under the purview of the vice-chancellor He said universities are autonomous bodies and it is up to them to grant or refuse permissions Khattar mentioned that in the past universities had also permitted Indian National Trade Union Congress to conduct the programme on October 17 2017 by charging the prescribed fee Besides this NSUI the student wing of the Congress was allowed to conduct the programme in the same year said Khattar PTI SUN VSD RAX RAX