Chandigarh, Nov. 11 -- Chaos was the order of the day on the Panjab University (PU) campus as over 5,000 supporters turned up on students' call for a university shutdown on Monday. What began as a student protest turned into a movement for "Punjabiyat", with politicalparties, farmer unions and student wings from across Punjab joining in. Despite repeated appeals for calm from the varsity administration, the Panjab University Bachao Morcha, a group of student activists leading the agitation, went ahead with the protest, refusing to relent under the Centre announces the schedule for senate elections, pending since October 2024. Police had set up barricades around the varsity campus to keep outsiders out. SSP Kanwardeep Kaur reached the site around 11 am and attempted to reason with student leaders who were demanding entry for outsiders. At one point, SSP Kaur climbed atop the gate herself, attempting to calm the students and reason with those perched on top of it as they continued to push forward. Crowds continued to swell at Gate No. 2 (Sector 15 side) and Gate No. 1 (PGIMER side), as cops watched helplessly. To prevent further confrontation, police eventually allowed unrestricted entry, following which tractors, pickup trucks with loudspeakers and langar vehicles entered the campus. Slogans, including "Raj Karega Khalsa" and "Chandigarh Punjab Da", filled the air, as student activists, members of All India Sikh Student Federation, farmer leaders and other supporters broke past barricades, leading to a mild lathicharge. Kanwar Charat Singh, the grandson of Kartar Singh Bhindranwale, who led the Damdami Taksal before Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, and Tarsem Singh, the father of jailed MP Amritpal Singh (currently held under the National Security Act) also reached the campus. Farmer leaders, including Balbir Singh Rajewal of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU, Rajewal), Harinder Singh Lakhowal or BKU Lakhowal and Inderpal Singh Bains of BKU Charuni were also present. The dispute originated in the now rescinded notification by the Centre to alter the structure of the senate. PU has already sent a schedule to the Vice-President's office for approval while protesters are asking that the schedule of the election be released Vice-chancellor Renu Vig said, "PU has done its part by sending the schedule to the V-P. We will follow due procedure and it may take a few days, as the V-P is currently out of Delhi." Regarding Monday's protest, Vig said it was no longer about the senate, but had turned into a political flashpoint. She appealed to various political parties and farmer unions not to use the university for their agenda. One of the protest organisers, Raman of Student Front, said the protest will be lifted only after the senate poll was announced. Major leaders who turned up for the protest included Anandpur Sahib member of Parliament Malvinder Singh Kang (AAP); Parminder Singh Goldy, chairperson of Punjab Youth Development Board; former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi; and MLAs Pargat Singh (Congress), Parminder Singh Dhindsa (SAD-S) and Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra (SAD). Former Punjab Youth Congress president Brinder Singh Dhillon was also present, along with former student leaders like Kuljeet Singh Nagra. While the BJP remained absent and Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) president Gauravveer Sohal, who is from the ABVP, was nowhere to be found, even Indian National Students Organisation (INSO) highlighted the demand for Haryana representation in PU....