BHOPAL: Appointment of Congress MLAs and ex-MLAs (defeated Congress candidates) as head of Janbhagidari Samitis in state run colleges has kicked up a row within Congress, leading young leaders to oppose the decision.
Higher education department announced a list of Janbhagidari Samitis for about 136 colleges recently.
Out of 136 samitis- 35 Congress MLAs were made head of these college samitis while about a dozen defeated Congress candidates or turncoats who have come to party from BJP were given place in these samitis.
This decision led to opposition especially the student wing of the party- NSUI (National Students Union of India).
Young leaders voice opposition: Young Congress leaders too have started opposing it at appropriate party forum, in Chhatarpur protest erupted on streets. Student leaders burnt effigy of Anand Shukla at Chhatrasaal square who has been given post in the College. Local leaders allege that Anand Shukla remained inactive throughout assembly and lok sabha elections.
There is resentment in Balaghat district too where defeated Congress candidate Madhu Bhagat has been appointed as janbhagidari president of the Paraswada PG College. Similarly, sitting MLA Sunil Uike has been made president of the samiti of prestigious college in Baihar. “There are several colleges here where non-Congress minister Pradeep Jaiswal has suggested names of people owing allegiance to the BJP,” said a Congress leader from the district.
Similar dissent has been reported from Katni, Jabalpur, Harda among other districts where NSUI members are demanding their share of the pie.
“We have fought tooth and nail in colleges across the state to keep Congress alive for past 15 years. We were the one who pitched Rahul Gandhi against Modi among youth therefore giving place to NSUI leaders in nominated bodies in schools and colleges will boost the morale of foot soldiers and strengthen the Congress cadre in state,” said a young leader pleading anonymity.
Seniors seek appointment of young leaders: Several senior Congress leaders have come out in support of young brigade taking claim in the college janbhagidari samitis.
The campaign started with Damodar Singh Yadav, coordinator of Bhind and Tikamgarh Lok Sabha constitiuency writing to higher education minister Jitu Patwari and state vice president Chandraprabhas Shekhar writing to Congress MLA from Sewda, Ghanshyam Singh.
Yadav has urged the MLA to quit the post of janbhagidari samiti as it was too inconsequential a post considering his stature. “You have occupied a post that actually belongs to young workers who burnt the midnight oil in forming Congress government in state,” he wrote in the letter.
Yadav said that it would have been better if president of janbhagidari samiti of Datia PG College would have been some student leader.
