Gorilla Costume Campaign Highlights Monkey Menace at Panjab University
Panjab University's student council elections took a quirky turn as ISO supporters used a gorilla costume to highlight the campus's growing monkey menace.
Student council elections at Panjab University have taken an unconventional turn, with the Independent Students Organisation (ISO) deploying a person in a gorilla costume to draw attention to the campus's escalating monkey problem.
The campaign, held in support of vice-presidential candidate Vipul Bharti, saw students carrying banners and raising slogans as the costumed figure moved through the campus, including near the girls' hostel. The striking visual quickly became a talking point, blending humour with a serious demand for action.
Students say the campaign was designed to spotlight the increasing presence of monkeys on the premises. They claim the animals frequently enter hostels, snatch food and belongings, and create daily disruptions. Bharti alleged that an estimated 800 to 1,000 monkeys currently roam the university area, calling the situation a major safety concern.
Supporters argue the issue is not a mere nuisance but a problem requiring a permanent, practical solution from the university administration and relevant authorities. By turning the monkey menace into a campaign theme, the ISO aimed to create a visual impact and push the issue to the centre of election discussions.
With polls underway, the monkey menace has emerged as an unusual yet significant issue, with students urging concrete measures to ensure safer hostel and campus surroundings.