Students’ unions owing allegiance to mainstream political parties in Kozhikode district are yet to take up complaints from day scholars who are facing huge discrimination from private bus operators in the name of concession tickets.
Despite the intervention of the police and Motor Vehicles Department officials, operators are still reluctant to entertain students.
The worst-hit are those travelling to interior areas where private bus services are inadequate. The practice of students being denied entry into buses is common thanks to the apathetic attitude of students’ unions. Moreover, bus operators ignore isolated protests by students.
“Major student unions have been indifferent to the discriminatory practice of bus operators. Interventions by the police and the MVD have been largely ineffective,” said a higher secondary student from Kallayi. He added that individual protests by students were no match for the might of bus operators who acted collectively.
Students who come to the city from distant places like Vadakara accused inter-district bus operators of denying them entry to buses. They alleged that it was a common practice among operators to skip bus stops and facilitate commute of other passengers from nearby locations.
When contacted, students’ union leaders maintained that any protest by them would trigger a confrontation between bus crew and students. They also claimed that there were occasions when union leaders had made spot interventions and warned operators.
Meanwhile, functionaries of a State-level passengers’ welfare organisation said it was the responsibility of the police and the MVD to put an end to discrimination practised by bus operators. A Kerala High Court order in 2019 had made it clear that there should be prompt action by squads against erring operators, they said.
According to the order issued by Justice Anil K. Narendran, no student shall be prevented from entering buses or occupying vacant seats. Owing to poor enforcement of rules, many students are forced to pay full ticket charge.
