Bhubaneswar: Activists of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the students’ wing of Congress, on Wednesday had a scuffle with police near the Shishu Bhawan in Bhubaneswar as they tried to break police barricades and move towards Naveen Niwas.
Alleging irregularities in the education system, rising unemployment in the state, and other issues like students union elections not being conducted, the NSUI members went on a rally from Rajmahal Square to Shishu Bhawan Chhak where they were stopped by the police from going towards the Chief Minister’s residence.
The student leaders threw eggs at police and said they will continue to hold protest marches throughout the state as police took them into custody.
Odisha NSUI president Yasir Nawaz, senior leader Suresh Kumar Routray and other Congress leaders led the rally. They raised the slogan Chhatra Anibe Parivartan (students will bring a change) and urged students of the state to wake up.
“In any state where students have agitated against injustice, a change was seen. Naveen Patnaik has not been able to do his duties towards the state in the last 25 years. He is encouraging growth of private schools and colleges instead of filling the vacant teaching posts in government institutions,” told Nawaz to media.
He added, “There’s Goonda raj going on in the colleges. But we will not rest till we get an answer from Naveen Patnaik.”
Senior leader Suresh Routray said that the protesting student leaders have the support of Congress. “We want the government to punish those involved in question paper leak, ensure that exams and classes are held properly in colleges, the vacant lecturer posts are filled, and water and electricity problems are addressed.”
“We are not eyeing the elections. We want scholarships for students and we also want to know why the students’ union elections have been stopped in colleges,” questioned a student leader.
