The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest here on Thursday against the BJP-led government at the Centre, alleging it has failed to address issues of paper leak, Agnipath scheme and Manipur situation.
Members of the Congress’ student wing under the leadership of its national president Varun Choudhary gathered at the Jantar Mantar as part of its “Parliament March’’ protest against the ruling dispensation on issues of education and jobs, and the situation in the strife-torn state of Manipur.
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They tried to march towards the Parliament to raise these issues but were stopped by the police.
The NSUI demanded reinstating scholarships and fellowships for students, including the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, to drop “false” cases against protesting students across the country, ensuring strict implementation of reservation policies, stopping “paper leaks” and cracking down on exam scams.
Among others included filling all 30 lakh vacant government posts immediately, scrapping the Agnipath scheme and immediate intervention of the Centre to bring peace and normalcy in Manipur.
It may be mentioned here that the ethnic clashes that erupted in the state of Manipur on May 3 last year continued unabated. Scores of people have lost their lives while thousands have been forced to take refuge in relief camps.
Addressing the members of the NSUI, Choudhary accused the government of ignoring the plight of students.
He highlighted the “discontinuation of the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, regular and continuous paper leaks in public exams, no government vacancies, and failure to implement reservation policies.”
The NSUI chief also accused the government of prioritising the interests of industrialist Gautam Adani over the welfare of the nation’s youth.
Attacking the ruling BJP, he said, “This government has abandoned its responsibility towards students, prioritising corporate interests over education and employment. NSUI will continue to fight for the rights of students and the future of this country”.
