Indore
ABVP activists in large numbers laid a siege to collectorate on Wednesday in protest against non-opening of government hostels and non-payment of pending scholarship of students belonging to SC/ST and OBC categories.
Pushing and shoving took place between the activists and police when the former forced their entry into collectorate premises even as the latter tried to foil their bid.
Along with institutions of higher learning, government and university hostels were closed in March last following the outbreak of Covid-19.
From January 1, the colleges and Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya’s teaching departments were opened but not the hostels.
The university has been waiting for guidelines for re-opening of hostels from Department of Higher Education but to no avail so far.
Similarly, the scholarship of sessions 2019-20 and 2020-21 has not reached the bank accounts of students due to which they could not submit their fees in colleges. Colleges are threatening students that they would not forward their exam forms if fees is not paid.
On both these issues, ABVP activists led by their leaders Ghanshyam Singh and Lucky Adiwal reached the collectorate and staged a demonstration.
They shouted slogans against the government for delaying scholarship and not releasing guidelines for re-opening of hostels.
“As DAVV and government hostels are closed, poor students from outstations have to pay more for taking rooms in private boarding facilities or houses. When institute campuses can be re-opened, why can’t the hostels be opened?,” Lucky asked.
He stated that the government was also not serious about releasing scholarships as a result of which students were facing a bleak future.
