Kakinada, Feb 9 (TNT): Students owing allegiance to the Students Federation of India (SFI) on Monday commenced an indefinite fast in front of the Collectorate here, demanding the immediate release of pending fee reimbursement dues.
Inaugurating the fast, SFI district President Ch. Lovaraju and district secretary M. Ganga Suribabu alleged that coalition leaders had promised before coming to power that all pending fee reimbursement amounts would be cleared, but later “conveniently changed their stance” after assuming office.
They recalled that Education Minister Nara Lokesh, during his Yuva Galam padayatra, had assured students that their problems would be resolved and steps would be taken to ease their difficulties.
The SFI leaders claimed that around ₹7,000 crore is pending towards fee reimbursement across the State, forcing students to face severe hardships.
They further alleged that both government and private educational institutions were preventing students from appearing for mid-term and semester examinations, with managements threatening to issue hall tickets only to those who paid fees.
Various people’s organisations extended solidarity to the agitation. Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) national vice-president Baby Rani, leaders of Jana Vignana Vedika, CITU district leaders Rajkumar and Malaka Venkataramana, tenant farmers’ union district president M. Rajasekhar, and UTF district general secretary Nagesh addressed the gathering and expressed support to the students’ demands.
TNT TMR
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