The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) on Tuesday decided to continue its agitation, including the hunger stir by its legislators, against the agreement between the government and private self-financing medical colleges on admissions and a steep fee hike.
The decision came when talks between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister K.K. Shylaja and the representatives of private self-financing colleges held at two different levels proved inconclusive.
The two young Congress legislators who were on hunger stir for the past seven days were shifted to a hospital after their health condition worsened.
They were replaced by two other youngsters, V.T. Balaram and Roji M. John. The relay hunger stir came almost in tandem with the failure of the government-management talks.
The positive vibes exuded by the government, Opposition, and the management representatives generated a lot of optimism about an amicable settlement during a major part of the day.
The positive mood was seen in the Assembly, with the Opposition announcing that it would not disrupt the proceedings in view of the possibilities of a settlement.
It did not have any other go but to boycott the entire day’s sitting, including question hour, to express solidarity towards the two legislators on hunger stir, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said on the floor of the house.
It was clear that the Opposition leaders were taken aback at the sudden turnaround of the Chief Minister, who had given sufficient reason for them to believe that he and the government would accept a compromise formula shaped through layered green room discussions involving a few management representatives, the Opposition, and ruling front leaders.
The theme for settlement was that the managements would offer scholarships to students in government merit seats with an annual family income of less than Rs. 3 lakh.
The other proposal was to reduce the fee in Pariyaram Medical College.
It is not clear when the glitch developed, but the management association representatives came out of the Chief Minister’s meeting only to deny that they had discussed the settlement formula.
CM’s stance flayed
After the conciliatory attempts failed, Mr. Chennithala blamed the Chief Minister for scuttling what could have been a settlement formula.
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Vijayan took a stance that ended up blocking a settlement, instead of showing statesmanship.”
The agitation inside the Assembly would continue with the hunger stir by the new batch of young leaders. IUML leaders P. Ubaidulla and T.V. Ibrahim also sat along with the two Congress leaders in a show of solidarity.
Outside in the streets, the UDF will organise a series of agitations in the next three days.
