The State government will soon go in for a legislation to facilitate student organisational activities in all educational institutions, including private self-financing colleges, CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said here on Thursday.
“The government is all set to initiate procedures so that the law comes into force this academic year itself. The government will also ensure student representation on university syndicates and academic council,” he said, inaugurating a public meeting in connection with the 33rd State conference of the Students Federation of India (SFI) currently under way in Kollam.
Addressing the students, Mr. Balakrishnan said while all other students’ organisations were alienating themselves from students, the SFI was growing.
“The SFI has always tried to protect the interests of the student community and is at present the only prominent student organisation in India,” he said.
Dissent silenced
Citing the examples of Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, Kalburgi, Gauri Lankesh, and Santanu Bhowmik, he said India was at present going through a political situation similar to the Emergency where each and every voice of dissent was silenced.
Urging the students to work towards dislodging the BJP from power, he added that the Modi government was anti-student, trying to communalise educational institutions.
“Instead of inculcating rational thinking and scientific perception, it is promoting superstitions and primitive customs. It is deliberately trying to implement an agenda in the education sector that will create widespread consequences in the future. The BJP is trying to create a generation that lacks democratic values and at this juncture the duty of the SFI is to protect democracy and secularism in India,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.
Positive change
The CPI(M) State secretary added that the State government had brought in a positive change in the education sector by converting government institutions into centres of excellence and ensuring social justice.
Mr. Balakrishnan said 1.82 lakh students had joined government and aided schools this year as the government could successfully block the flow to unaided schools.
