Many schools, colleges and other educational institutions voluntarily declared holiday on Thursday in response to the State-wide bandh call given by the Student Associations Joint Action Committee (SAJAC) over issues ‘plaguing educational institutions’. The SFI members went to a few schools and urged them to suspend the classes.
Accusing the government of negligence, large number of students led by members of Student Federation of India (SFI), All India Student Federation (AISF), Progressive Democratic STudents Organisation (PDSO), All India Student Federation (AISF) and others took out a rally from Krishna College area to ‘Telugu Talli’ statue at Maddilapalem.
SFI City secretary L.J. Naidu said that their demands included maintenance of welfare hostels, release pending scholarship amounts and fee reimbursement of the hostellers, proper mid-day meals for students, especially those studying in schools in the Agency areas.
Scholarship dues
“Scholarships and fee reimbursements have been pending for six months. Welfare hostels have no proper security. We demand that the government introduce mega supplementary examinations in the semester system for degree colleges,” said Mr. Naidu.
The SFI members alleged that many tribal welfare hostels in Visakhapatnam district were suffering from poor drinking water facility, lack of adequate toilets and etc and the students were being served poor quality food at hostels.
The protesters also condemned the lathi-charge on students in Vizianagaram.
